Jackson man pleads guilty to gun possession, manufacturing charges

A Jackson man has pleaded guilty to federal charges including using 3D printers to make automatic machine guns.

41-year-old Kent Edward Newhouse of Jackson pleaded guilty to two counts of a felon in possession of a firearm and one county of engaging in business as a manufacturer of firearms.

U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca said a confidential informant told agents with DEA that Newhouse used 3D printers to make auto-sears, which are firearm components designed to convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic machine guns.

Under federal law, auto-sears are themselves machine guns.

According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, DEA agents searched Newhouse’s home, where they found additional firearms and auto-sears. They also found videos of Newhouse operating machine guns.

Newhouse will be sentenced December 2nd, when he faces a sentence of up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count possession charges and 10 years and $250,000 fine for manufacturing charge.