RALEIGH, N.C. — A 72-year-old man from North Carolina, who goes by the nickname “AK Guru,” has been charged with the illegal manufacture and sale of machine guns, according to federal law enforcement officials.
Earl Carter Jr. now faces serious allegations including conspiracy to manufacture and distribute firearms without the necessary license, possession of a machine gun, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, as outlined in legal documents.
At this time, court records do not indicate whether Carter has made a plea regarding his charges. Additionally, an attorney associated with the case has not yet replied to requests for comments about the accusations as of midweek.
According to an FBI affidavit that references information from a confidential informant, Carter, known as “AK Guru,” has been involved in creating machine guns either by modifying legal firearms or assembling them from components of dismantled weapons.
The affidavit, submitted on October 18, indicates that Carter has not only constructed machine guns but has also trained others in the process for the purpose of selling these firearms. The informant disclosed to the FBI that Carter’s workshop sees a significant volume of machine guns, and he allegedly has international connections that facilitate the smuggling of firearms into the U.S. from Europe.
The informant further claimed that Carter has distributed over 1,000 fully automatic AK-47s to various groups and noted that individuals from mountainous regions have reportedly procured multiple automatic AK-47s from him on a weekly basis.
In the small town of Hamlet, located approximately 80 miles east of Charlotte, the informant reported witnessing Carter with machine guns in his workshop. The inventory reportedly includes fully automatic AK-47 rifles, a Browning M2 .50 caliber machine gun, a PPS-43 submachine gun, a Lanchester submachine gun, and additional firearms. The informant stated that Carter had solicited help in producing machine guns for resale.
Law enforcement agents searching Carter’s residence, workshop, and other facilities confiscated numerous AK-style and other firearms. They discovered components that appeared to modify these guns to operate as machine guns.
In discussions with the agents, Carter acknowledged his status as a felon and the legal implications surrounding firearm possession. He has a prior felony conviction stemming from an incident in February 1994, where he was found guilty of discharging a weapon into occupied property.
A federal judge has ordered that Carter remain in custody while awaiting trial, though no date for the trial has been established yet.