Christian Ferrari was sentenced in federal court to 37 months in prison following his admission that he sold 22 “ghost guns” to undercover agents without a license. At the time of the sales, Ferrari was an active-duty Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calif. (U.S. Department of Justice)
A Camp Pendleton Marine who illegally sold 22 homemade firearms to undercover agents was sentenced to 37 months in prison, federal officials said.
A federal judged handed down the more than three-year sentence Monday to Christian Ferrari, 23, for selling the nearly two-dozen weapons known as ghost guns across four separate transactions for $23,000. Ghost guns are firearms made by individuals who buy parts and use specialized tools to assemble them into a functional weapon. Unlike firearms made by licensed manufacturers, ghost guns do not have a serial number, making them virtually untraceable.
Ferrari was accused of selling the guns to undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents between March 13 and May 9, 2023, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. At the time, Ferrari was a lance corporal stationed at Camp Pendleton in California.
During one of the transactions, undercover agents told Ferrari that the guns would be taken to Mexico.
“Ferrari responded, ‘All right, perfect,’ and agreed to sell the agents 10 more ghost guns for $10,000,” according to the release.
Ferrari was arrested after the final transaction as part of a joint crime reduction project across San Diego. The project resulted in the seizure of 165 ghost guns and the prosecution of 33 people, including Ferrari.
After his arrest, agents found evidence that Ferrari was manufacturing firearms at a family residence in California. Agents also found a drill press covered in metal shavings consistent with material used to manufacture firearms.
A forensic analysis of Ferrari’s phone revealed numerous conversations related to manufacturing and selling firearms and parts, which included AR-15 style rifles, silencers for firearms and “full auto sears,” which convert AR-15s to fire automatically, according to the release.
“What you did was an enormous danger to the public,” U.S. District Judge Cynthia A. Bashant told Ferrari at the sentencing hearing.
Ferrari joined the Marine Corps in 2020, achieving the rank of lance corporal in 2021. He served as an infantry rifleman.
Ferrari was officially separated April 8, 2024, from the Marine Corps.
