Yaroslav Vishnevski, residing in Harrisburg, Illinois, was convicted on five charges connected to illegal firearm parts and a 3D printer-assisted production line. A federal jury found Vishnevski guilty of possessing or acquiring an unlicensed short-barreled rifle, manufacturing a firearm under the National Firearms Act without paying special tax, possessing an unlicensed short-barreled shotgun and unlicensed suppressor, and owning a 12-gauge short-barreled shotgun by Atlas Arms with a defaced serial number.
Investigation Began with Package from China
The investigation started on April 22, 2024, when US Customs and Border Protection officers intercepted a package from China containing two suspicious firearm suppressors. The package was addressed to Vishnevski’s home in southern Illinois, the focus of the investigation.
On May 2, 2024, an undercover Illinois State Police agent left the package on the front porch of the house. Records show Vishnevski took the package inside and shortly afterward left the house without it.
After Vishnevski was stopped by police upon leaving, a special team conducted a search of the home. According to officials, a heavily used illegal firearms workshop was found both inside the house and in a caravan parked outside.
3D Printers Found in Home and Caravan
Court documents state that authorities seized three 3D printers and a desktop CNC machine called "Ghost Gunner," which is used to process firearm parts often known as 80% receivers that lack serial numbers.
The search uncovered numerous untraceable and unlicensed firearms, including 3D-printed suppressors, firearm receivers, short-barreled rifles without serial numbers, an Atlas Arms short-barreled shotgun with a removed serial number, and a Glock 19X fitted with an aftermarket stock and vertical foregrip.
Under federal law, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and suppressors must be registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, and manufacturers must pay a special occupational tax. Prosecutors stated Vishnevski had none of these registrations.
Following the conviction, US Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft emphasized the clear distinction between lawful gun ownership and criminal enterprise activities. He stressed that while the rights of law-abiding citizens are protected, illegal importation of suppressors, machine guns, short-barreled firearms, and untraceable "ghost gun" setups are being vigorously investigated.
Vishnevski’s Past Statements
Vishnevski previously told the media that he was born in Ukraine and lived there until age six, believing the government monitored him. He said he immigrated to the US a year later, received Air Force officer training, enrolled at Saint Louis University School of Medicine to serve as an Air Force physician after graduation, but left the program early to join the Individual Ready Reserve.
He also said that after his detention, an agent from the Department of Homeland Security questioned him about his views on Ukraine and his connections with its citizens. The US Air Force and Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
