OFF THE WIRE
By Tim McGlone
The Virginian-Pilot
© September 14, 2010
The head of the Virginia Beach chapter of the Mongols Motorcycle Club pleaded guilty Monday to the illegal sale of a fully automatic machine gun that once belonged to the Iraqi army.
Justin "Itchy" Wilson, 29, of Virginia Beach pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Alexandria to possession and transfer of a machine gun. He faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced Dec. 3.
Wilson admitted in court that he sold the Russian-made machine gun in 2008 to an undercover agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Wilson told an undercover operative that he had taken the machine gun as a "souvenir" during his tour of duty in Iraq several years ago, according to a court document.
At the time, federal agents had infiltrated the gang to obtain evidence of illegal activity. Since then, authorities have made more than two dozen arrests of motorcycle gang members on various charges, including drug distribution, firearms possession and assault.
Wilson has been in the Navy since 1998 and was a petty officer 1st class working as a machinist at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth at the time of his arrest.
Tim McGlone, (757) 446-2343, tim.mcglone@pilotonline.com
