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A Ukrainian national who completed U.S. Air Force officer training was recently convicted of five counts after authorities intercepted illegal gun parts from China and uncovered a “ghost gun” 3D printing operation inside his home.
A federal jury found Yaroslav Vishnevski, 33, of Harrisburg, Illinois, guilty of receipt or possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle; manufacturing a National Firearms Act (NFA) weapon without paying special occupancy tax; receipt or possession of an unregistered short-barreled shotgun; receipt or possession of an unregistered silencer; and possession of an Atlas Arms 12-gauge short-barreled shotgun with an obliterated serial number, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois.
The investigation was triggered on April 22, 2024, when U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers intercepted a package shipped from China that contained two suspected firearm silencers, according to a criminal complaint obtained by Digital.
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Officials said multiple guns were in the suspect’s possession illegally. (U.S. Attorney’s Office)
The parcel was addressed to Vishnevski’s home in southern Illinois.
On May 2, 2024, an undercover agent with the Illinois State Police (ISP) dropped the package off on Vishnevski’s front porch and watched as Vishnevski retrieved the package and brought it inside, according to court filings.
Shortly after he left the house without the package, marked ISP units pulled him over in a traffic stop while a SWAT team executed a search warrant inside the home.
Authorities shared photos of apparent 3D printers found inside the home. (U.S. Attorney’s Office)
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Inside the house and a camper parked outside, federal and state law enforcement allegedly discovered a highly active, illegal weapons workshop.
Court documents note authorities seized three 3D printers and a “Ghost Gunner” desktop CNC machine — a tool commonly used to mill untraceable “80%” firearm receivers.
Investigators reported finding a massive haul of illegal and untraceable weapons, including numerous 3D-printed silencers and firearm frames; privately made, untraceable short-barreled rifles lacking serial numbers; an Atlas Arms 12-gauge short-barreled shotgun with an obliterated serial number; and a Glock 19X modified with an aftermarket stock and vertical foregrip.
Authorities shared photos of guns seized inside the home during a search warrant. (U.S. Attorney’s Office)
Federal law requires short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns and silencers to be registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, and manufacturers must pay a special occupancy tax.
Vishnevski had no such registrations, according to court filings.
Following his convictions, U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft told Digital there is a clear line between criminal enterprises and legal gun ownership.
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“The real world contains nuance, and two things can be true at the same time: We staunchly defend the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans, while simultaneously recognizing that machine guns, short-barreled rifles, silencers illegally imported from China, and untraceable ghost guns present obvious dangers,” Weinhoeft said. “The Department of Justice strikes this balance each day aggressively enforcing the criminal laws passed by Congress, while vigorously defending the constitutional rights of responsible gun owners in court.”
Officials said a slew of evidence was recovered from inside the home, showing the stash was not possessed legally. (U.S. Attorney’s Office)
Vishnevski, who is reportedly a U.S. citizen, told Capitol News Illinois he thought the government was surveilling him prior to his arrest because he was born in Ukraine and lived there until the age of 6, before immigrating to the U.S. a year later.
He told the outlet he completed Air Force officer training and enrolled at the St. Louis University School of Medicine under orders to serve as an Air Force physician after graduation, but left the program early and transferred to the Individual Ready Reserve.
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Following his arrest, Vishnevski told the outlet an agent with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had questioned him about his views on Ukraine and any associations with its citizens.
The U.S. Air Force and DHS did not immediately respond to Digital’s requests for comment.
