SUPERIOR COURT -- A Hamburg man who pleaded guilty to manufacturing high-powered firearms without serial numbers at his place of business in Franklin has accepted a plea deal that would send him to prison for five years, but he may only serve a year.

SUPERIOR COURT -- A Hamburg man who pleaded guilty to manufacturing high-powered firearms without serial numbers at his place of business in Franklin has accepted a plea deal that would send him to prison for five years, but he may only serve a year.

Russell J. Watt, 39, appeared in state Superior Court in Newton on March 5 in front of Judge William J. McGovern III.

As part of the plea, a motion has been filed by Assistant Prosecutor Jerome Neidhardt to sentence Watt to a single year of parole ineligibility. If that motion is not granted at sentencing, Watt will be able to withdraw his guilty plea and another plea offer may be given.

Watt's charges fall under the Graves Act, a state statute that requires the imposition of a minimum term of imprisonment and parole ineligibility for certain gun-related crimes.

If the motion is not granted, Watt would be facing 42 months of parole ineligibility, as required under the Graves Act.

Ordered by a judge to stay incarcerated until the resolution of his case, Watt pleaded guilty to amended charges of second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, specifically a machine gun, and third-degree unlawful manufacturing of a weapon, specifically a machine gun.

Watt was applying retroactively for a firearms purchaser card when police came upon multiple unregistered weapons at his workplace, MJS Precision, located across from the Franklin Police station on Corkhill Road. He was initially facing a total of 12 charges, including illegal possession of weapons, manufacturing of weapons and possession of ammunition.

In addition to admitting he was manufacturing firearms, Watt also admitted that he was the man in a video, obtained as evidence by the prosecutor's office, shooting a fully automatic rifle.

Although Watt did not go into detail as to what was in the video, Assistant Prosecutor Stephanie LaCarrubba, in a prior hearing, said Watt is seen shooting multiple rounds from a high-powered firearm into the woods as his young child runs up to him.

Watt tells the child to move back in the video but continues to fire the weapon, LaCarrubba said.

In addition, a photo of a child holding a semi-automatic rifle and what appears to be the cover of a booklet on how to make a submachine gun were also seized from Watt's cell phone.

On Nov. 14, 2017, Watt was called to the Franklin Borough Police headquarters for a routine in-person interview to discuss his application for a firearm purchaser identification card.

LaCarrubba, who handled the case initially for the state, said in a prior hearing that Watt had already been under investigation and police had deemed him a "person of interest" when he was asked to come to the police station.

After telling officers he wanted to apply for a firearms permit, Watt eventually admitted he was already in possession of several firearms he manufactured at his place of business, according to the affidavit of probable cause from his arrest.

Kraminsky indicated in court on March 5 that his client essentially taught himself to engineer parts for firearms, using a computer numerical control, or CNC, machine at his place of business to make the parts.

During his interview with police, Watt admitted to repairing and modifying firearms for customers, but no details have emerged as to who those customers are, according to LaCarrubba.

A total of 11 guns were seized from his workplace: a semi-automatic assault rifle; a black AR-15 Complete Lower; a silver AR-15 Complete Lower; a fully automatic machine gun; an assault rifle; a Kel-Tec handgun; a silver revolver handgun; a 16G shotgun; a Stevens 12G Bolt action shotgun; a Stevens .22C rifle; and a Crosman air rifle.

Also seized were hollow-point bullets, a large array of ammunition, four high-capacity magazines for assault weapons and multiple pieces to manufacture firearms.

A long gun with a high-capacity magazine and a handgun were located in his home.

In addition, several hundred rounds of ammunition were found in his home and vehicle.

Watt's sentencing will be held in state Superior Court in either Sussex or Morris County and his next court appearance is scheduled for April 20.

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Lori Comstock can also be reached on Twitter: @LoriComstockNJH, on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/LoriComstockNJH or by phone: 973-383-1194.