NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A New Jersey man pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday to possessing five fake federal ID badges, as well as a homemade short-barrel rifle and silencer, according to the Department of Justice.
Jeffrey Backlund, of Waretown, pleaded guilty in Trenton federal court to unlawfully possessing firearms that were not registered in the National Firearms Register and Transfer Record and to unlawful possession of an official badge or identification card.
According to court documents and statements, authorities conducted an investigation into a domestic disturbance on Sept. 6, 2020, at his home and discovered a number of firearms and imitation federal identification badges.
Law enforcement found one short-barreled, AR-style, .223 caliber rifle bearing no serial number and no branding. Attached to the rifle, they found a tan metal cylindrical device that law enforcement determined to be a silencer.
Backlund was required to, but did not, register the gun and silencer in the National Firearms Register and Transfer Record under the National Firearms Act because of its physical characteristics.
Officers also located two bi-fold wallets containing FBI Special Agent identification credentials bearing Backlund’s picture and personal information, a United States Marshals Service badge, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent badge and a Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent badge.
All badges and identifications were imitation and Backlund did not have the authority to possess any of them, officials said.
Backlund now faces a maximum sentence of over 10 years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 13, 2022.
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