Man enters plea in gun shop break in

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A McGuffey Road man pleaded guilty earlier this week to charges he took part in the break-in of a gun store in 2012.

Brett McFarland, 21, entered pleas of guilty before Judge John Durkin in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to one count of breaking and entering and 33 counts of grand theft.

Sentencing is set for 11 a.m. Dec. 10.

McFarland was arrested in late December 2012 involving a break-in at AAA Customs, 2500 Market St. The business is a federally licensed firearms dealer.

The break-in happened Sept. 23, 2012. Police said two men went inside and a third waited outside. The break-in was captured on surveillance video.

About three dozen high-powered rifles and machine guns were taken, police said.

McFarland is the only person so far who has been charged with the crime. He originally was indicted on 10 counts of grand theft to go along with the single count of breaking and entering, but a week later a grand jury issued a superseding indictment charging him with 23 additional grand-theft charges.

Each charge represents a weapon that has been stolen.