Newport Man Held in Weapons Sale

A Newport Beach man was arrested this week on suspicion of selling illegal automatic rifles to federal undercover agents, authorities said Friday.

James Michael Swain was arrested Tuesday at his home after he allegedly delivered 18 of the weapons--16 Sten rifles and two Browning Automatic Rifles--to agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, federal agent Kelly Long said.

Swain rented a table at the Great Western Gun Show at the Pomona Fairplex last month, Long said, and used the space to sell gun parts. Undercover ATF agents and Pomona police officers noticed that Swain was selling “parts that, when put together with other parts, violate federal firearms laws,” Long said.

“He made it very clear to the agents that he could provide them with the other parts” to assemble automatic rifles, Long said. “A deal was negotiated, and he promised to deliver the Stens and BARs.”

Automatic rifles fire a continuous stream of bullets while the trigger is pulled and as long as a loaded magazine is used.

Swain was arrested Tuesday when the undercover agents went to his home to pick up a second shipment of guns, Long said. The suspect, who officials said will be charged with transferring unregistered weapons, faces a maximum sentence of 10 years and a $10,000 fine for each of the illegal weapons.

Swain is being held without bail at Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles. An arraignment hearing is set for Aug. 23.