Waretown man gets prison time for ghost gun, fake FBI ID, phony badges

TRENTON − A Waretown man was sentenced to a year and day in prison Monday after admitting to possession of an unregistered homemade short-barreled rifle with a silencer and fake law enforcement identification, officials said.

Jeffrey Backlund, 57, was arrested following a domestic disturbance that led police to obtain a search warrant for his home in September 2020, according to a statement from Philip R. Sellinger, U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey.

Investigators found a short-barreled, AR-style .233-caliber rifle without branding or a serial number, and a silencer, both of which Backlund had failed to register with the National Firearms Register and Transfer Record, Sellinger said.

Investigators also found wallets containing fraudulent identification credentials for an FBI special agent bearing Backlund's photo and personal information as well as badges for a United States marshal, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives special agent, and a Drug Enforcement Administration special agent − all imitation, Sellinger said.

There is no information in court documents or testimony about what Backlund intended to do with the badges, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

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Backlund was charged with unlawfully possessing unregistered weapons and unlawful possession of an official badge or identification card.

He faced up to 10 1/2 years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

Along with the prison term U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan ordered Backlund to serve three years of supervised release and pay a $5,000 fine.

Ken Serrano covers crime, breaking news and investigations. Reach him at 732-643-4029 or at kserrano@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Waretown NJ man sentenced for ghost gun, fake badges