Yaroslav Vishnevski, living in Harrisburg, Illinois, was convicted on five charges related to illegal gun parts and a 3D printer-supported production line. A federal jury found Vishnevski guilty of possessing or receiving 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 serial-number-removed Atlas Arms 12-gauge short-barreled shotgun.
The investigation began on April 22, 2024, when U.S. Customs and Border Protection stopped a package from China containing two suspicious gun suppressors. The package was addressed to Vishnevski’s residence 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 the house, a search was conducted with special team support. Authorities found a heavily used illegal gun workshop inside the house and in an RV parked outside.
Court documents state that officials seized three 3D printers and a desktop CNC machine called Ghost Gunner. This device is used to process gun parts without serial numbers, often known as 80% receivers.
The search uncovered numerous untraceable and unlicensed firearms, including 3D-printed suppressors, gun receivers, short-barreled rifles without serial numbers, a serial-number-removed Atlas Arms short-barreled shotgun, 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, U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft emphasized the clear line between lawful gun ownership and criminal enterprise. 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 rigorously investigated.
Vishnevski previously told the media he believed the government was monitoring him because he was born in Ukraine and lived there until age six. He said he immigrated to the U.S. 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, a Department of Homeland Security agent questioned him about his views on Ukraine and connections with its citizens. The U.S. Air Force and Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
