Ohio National Guardsman dreamed of shooting up synagogue — and selling 'ghost guns' to other racists: Feds
According to WBNS News, a member of the Ohio National Guard was arrested this week on suspicion of selling illegal, untraceable "ghost gun" kits, including mechanisms that can convert an AR-15 into a fully automatic machine gun.
"The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio announced federal agents arrested 24-year-old Thomas Devlin for making the untraceable homemade weapons made in whole or in part with a 3D printer," said the report. "Develin allegedly created the ghost guns to sell for profit. He also allegedly possessed homemade conversion devices to convert semi-automatic AR-15 rifles and Glock-type pistols into fully automatic machine guns. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said agents discovered more than 25 firearms in Develin’s residence and vehicle while executing a search warrant in March 2022."
As the report noted, Develin also has been indicted for allegedly making terroristic threats towards Jews online, while working as a security guard for the Torah Academy in Columbus. He has also allegedly advocated the rape of women in online posts.
"In September 2021, it is alleged Develin posted a picture of the synagogue where he was working at the time and stated, in part, 'Having an inner debate that if an active shooter comes in I might just join him,'" said the report. "In November 2021, Develin allegedly posted a video of himself sniffing a rifle. In the video, Develin says, 'This one smells like dead Jews.' In a December 2021 Discord post, Develin allegedly wrote, 'Ight, time to turn wright pat airbase into Fort hood in 2009.' In January 2022, Develin allegedly posted a picture of a New Albany synagogue with the text, 'The holocaust didn’t happen' and 'If anything I’ll scream 6 million wasn’t enough.'"
Hate crimes have exploded in recent years, one of the most horrific being the 2018 shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh by a far-right gunman. Many other threats have been levied against Jewish centers and synagogues; a 2017 report suggested that the perpetrators were using sophisticated technology to spoof phone numbers to avoid being detected.
The proliferation of untraceable "ghost guns," too, has raised alarms with law enforcement; in April, President Joe Biden issued a new executive order sharply restricting the availability of kits to design them.
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