Authorities say the man used a power tool to file off the serial numbers on 14 of the guns he later resold
CAMDEN -- A Pennsauken man who served time for manslaughter was sentenced Friday to nearly six years in prison for illegally selling 16 guns, including firearms with high-capacity magazines and filed off serial numbers, authorities said.
Ammie Steward, also known as "Beav" and "B," 41, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Camden in December 2012 to dealing firearms without a license and possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon for illegally selling 16 guns between May 2012 and Aug. 15, 2012.
Steward, however, wasn't sentenced until this past Friday, and the U.S. Attorney's Office hasn't yet indicated the reason for the delay in sentencing.
Federal authorities have said Steward resold 14 guns originally bought by his uncle, Eric J. Reed, from Pennsylvania gun shops and gun shows between May 2012 and Aug. 15, 2012.
Reed pleaded guilty in January 2013 to dealing firearms without a license and transferring a firearm to a previously convicted felon, and was later sentenced to about five years in prison.
The other two guns sold by Steward were illegally purchased from Michael Wayne Lee, who authorities said, used a straw buyer to purchase firearms from gun shops in the Philadelphia area. Lee was sentenced this past July to 11 years in prison.
Steward sold 16 firearms between May 2012 and Aug. 15, 2012 on nine separate occasions for profit and without a license, including 12 pistols and two rifles, U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman said. Steward also admitted to using a power tool to destroy the serial numbers on 14 of the 16 firearms.
The guns were sold near Canal's Liquors on Route 38 in Pennsauken to a witness who was cooperating with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Fishman said.
Seven of the guns were sold along with high-capacity magazines, and, on at least one occasion, Steward sold a Kel Tec PLR-16 .223 caliber pistol along with a 30-round magazine and a box of ammunition. Steward also sold a Romarm/Cugir, WASR 10/63 .762 caliber rifle with two high-capacity magazines and a bayonet.
All 16 firearms are now in the custody of law enforcement, Fishman said.
Steward was sentenced on Friday to 71 months, just short of six years. He'll also be required to serve three years of supervised release when he completes his sentence.
Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.