In a recent development in Westchester County, New York, a man previously convicted for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition has once again found himself in trouble for illegally storing a large amount of guns, ammunition, explosive materials, and equipment. Additionally, authorities discovered several books on making improvised explosive devices. The 61-year-old man, James Neff, was arrested on May 1 and faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
Following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), a search was conducted on May 1 at Neff’s residence in Dobbs Ferry, Westchester County, as well as two storage units. During the search, more than 30 homemade firearms and assault rifles, a significant quantity of ammunition, suspected low-grade explosives, explosive materials, fuses, containers, grenade casings, and other equipment used for assembling explosive devices were seized. Several books detailing how to create homemade explosives were also found, including titles like “Anarchist Cookbook, Simple Incendiary and Explosives Techniques,” “How to Conceal Your ‘Goods,'” and “Simple Ammunition Black Book.” Neff admitted to possessing these firearms and explosive materials, initially keeping them at home before transferring them to the storage units.
Neff had been previously convicted of illegal weapon possession in New York State over two decades ago, resulting in a two-year prison sentence at a state penitentiary. He was granted parole in 2004. Federal prosecutor Damian Williams from the Southern District of New York stated that Neff is facing charges related to firearm and ammunition possession. Neff appeared in a U.S. District Court on May 2, where he could potentially be sentenced to a maximum of 15 years in prison.