LA HABRA – A Fullerton man was indicted Thursday after authorities allege he skirted federal law by illegally selling rifles, pistols and parts for AR-15-type firearms.

A federal grand jury indicted Joseph Roh of a felony count of engaging in the business of manufacturing and dealing in firearms without a license, according to a United States Attorney’s Office statement.

Roh, 46, is the owner of La Habra-based ROHG Industries.

Despite not having a proper license, prosecutors allege, Roh manufactured and sold hundreds of lower receivers for AR-15-type firearms, essentially the frame of the rifle that holds the trigger and hammer.

The sale of unfinished lower receivers is legal. However, once the lower receivers are machined further and “finished,” they are considered a firearm, whose sale is regulated by federal law.

Prosecutors say Roh got around those restrictions by having his customers play a token role in the manufacturing process, often just pushing a button on a machine that helped to “finish” the lower receivers while the company’s employees did the bulk of the work.

Roh, upon a customer’s request, would assemble the rest of the weapons, authorities allege, and also sold other types of complete rifles and pistols.

Roh has agreed to surrender to authorities today. If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

Contact the writer: semery@ocregister.com