'Ghost gun' bust: North Canton man accused of having 55 untraceable semi-automatic rifles
NORTH CANTON ‒ A former local baseball standout was arrested Thursday after authorities alleged he had 55 untraceable AR-15 semi-automatic rifles at a home on Clinton Avenue SE.
Christopher J. Machamer, 26, is charged with unlawful possession of dangerous ordnance — illegally manufacturing or processing explosives, a felony.
Machamer remained in the Stark County Jail on Friday. No bond has been set and he's to make an initial appearance in Canton Municipal Court at 9 a.m. Monday.
There was no attorney listed for him on court paperwork Friday and no one answered the cellphone listed for Machamer.
A criminal complaint from a member of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force accuses Machamer of making and selling "ghost" AR-15s to "known and unknown subjects." Such weapons have no serial numbers, which prevents tracing their owners.
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Susan Licate, an FBI spokesman in Cleveland, said she'd work to provide more details. North Canton Police Chief Frank Kemp Jr., said his department was made aware the FBI would be at two locations within the city, but North Canton did not participate in the searches.
The FBI operates 160 Safe Streets units across the country.
"These task forces pursue violent gangs through sustained, proactive, coordinated investigations to obtain prosecutions on violations such as racketeering, drug conspiracy, and firearms violations," according to the agency's website.
Last year, the local task force seized a large amount of cocaine, fentanyl and marijuana and $1 million in cash at a home near Meyers Lake and arrested a man on drug charges.
The Clinton Avenue address listed as Machamer's home is owned by a limited liability corporation he created in 2022, according to Ohio secretary of state records.
Machamer once was a star pitcher for Massillon Washington High.
As a senior in 2016 the right-handed pitcher was named Gatorade's Ohio player of the year. He posted a 5-1 record, with an 0.19 earned-run-average and 60 strikeouts in 36.1 innings pitched.
Machamer went on to star at the University of Kentucky. In 2018, he was drafted in the 18th round by the Boston Red Sox.
He played two seasons of Class A minor league ball, compiling a 5-10 record. He was released in 2020, according to the official minor league baseball website.
Reach Tim at 330-580-8333 or tim.botos@cantonrep.com.On X: @tbotosREP
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton man accused of having 55 untraceable 'ghost gun' AR-15 rifles
