Logan County Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Machine Guns

COLUMBUS – A federal grand jury here has indicted Todd Allen Lamb, 37, of Bellefontaine, accusing him of illegally possessing five machine guns. He is also charged with making false statements on paperwork filed with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Mark T. D’Alessandro, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Robert J. Browning, ATF Special Agent in Charge, and Logan County Sheriff Andrew J. Smith announced the indictment today.

The indictment alleges that Lamb possessed five machine guns. Logan County deputies discovered the weapons when they responded to a call for service at Lamb’s business.

The indictment also alleges that Lamb filed a firearm tax renewal and registration form with ATF on June 12, 2006 claiming that his business, Almite Services, Inc. had a license to sell machine guns, knowing that it was not a licensed dealer.

Each count of possession of a machine gun is punishable by up to ten years imprisonment. Making false statements is punishable by up to three years imprisonment.

Lamb will have an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Preston Deavers at 11 a.m. on March 2.

D’Alessandro commended the cooperative investigation by ATF agents and Logan County deputies assisted by the Ohio Highway Patrol, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dale E. Williams, Jr., who is prosecuting the case.

An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.