Man Receives 12-Year Sentence for Possession of Guns, Pipe Bomb Components, Making a False Passport Application and Aggravated Identity Theft

COLUMBUS — Abdullah M. Muslim, aka Johnnie P. Clagg, 38, of Columbus was sentenced in United States District Court here to a total of 144 months incarceration for illegally possessing firearms after having previously been convicted of three violent felonies, for possessing unregistered component parts to make pipe bombs, for making a false passport application, and aggravated identity theft.

Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Robert J. Browning, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Michael Watson.

Muslim pleaded guilty on July 23, 2009 to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and was released on bond to await sentencing. While on bond, Muslim made a false application for a passport in West Virginia, using an identity not his own.

During this time, Muslim also obtained and possessed more firearms as well as pipe bomb components. On March 30, 2010, Muslim pleaded guilty to making a false passport application and aggravated identity theft. Muslim also pleaded guilty to one count of possession of firearms by a convicted felon and one count of unregistered destructive devices, namely a combination of parts intended and designed to be converted into destructive devices, namely 5 pipe bombs.

Stewart commended the cooperative investigation by ATF agents, U.S. Postal Inspectors, the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dana Peters of Columbus and Thomas Ryan of the Southern District of West Virginia who prosecuted the cases.