Police have charged a man from Picture Butte following a long investigation into the three dimensional printing of firearms.
The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team searched a home in that town two weeks ago and arrested 53 year old Dan Forsyth.
It’s alleged that Forsyth was involved in manufacturing guns using 3D printers. During the search on August 18th, officers found a number of 3D printers as well as an assortment of manufactured firearms parts including pistol lower frames, an assault rifle receiver and frame, a bump stock for converting a semi-automatic gun to fully automatic, and silencers.
The investigation, which began in April 2019, came as the result of a joint initiative between ALERT Lethbridge and the RCMP’s National Weapons Enforcement Support Team (NWEST).
Seized items were forwarded to the RCMP Forensic Science and Identification Services lab for examination and ballistics testing. The preliminary results confirmed the 3D-printed parts were functional and criminal charges would proceed.
“The strength of collaboration during investigations of illegal movement and criminal use of firearms has once again resulted in a successful outcome, thanks to the efforts of ALERT and the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program’s NWEST,” said Supt. Sue Black, RCMP Canadian Firearms Program.
Dan Forsyth is scheduled to appear in court October 7th.
He is facing a long list of charges which range which include:
- offering to traffic firearms;
- manufacturing a restricted firearm;
- manufacturing a non-restricted firearm;
- manufacturing a prohibited device;
- possession of firearms for the purpose of trafficking;
- possession of a prohibited device for the purpose of trafficking;
- unauthorized possession of a non-restricted firearm;
- unauthorized possession of a restricted firearm;
- unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon;
- unauthorized possession of a prohibited device; and
- possession of a weapon contrary to prohibition order.
