Department of Justice

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Matthew Garrett Mink (38, Naples) to four years and three months in federal prison for possessing an illegal machinegun, possessing an unregistered firearm silencer, possessing a stolen firearm silencer, and possessing an un-serialized firearm silencer. The court also ordered Mink to pay a $20,000 fine and to forfeit the firearms and silencers involved in his crimes. Mink had pleaded guilty on May 2, 2022.

According to court records, Mink is the former manager of a Naples-based licensed gun dealer, who came to the attention of federal agents after his employment at the gun shop was terminated. An investigation revealed that Mink had engaged in various illegal firearms-related activities both during and after his employment at the gun shop, including falsifying paperwork relating to the acquisition and disposition of firearms in the gun shop’s inventory, possessing illegal modified machineguns, possessing illegal un-serialized and unregistered firearm silencers, and possessing a stolen firearm silencer and a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.