Salem, Oregon – A Salem resident, previously convicted of serious crimes, found himself facing a federal prison sentence on Monday as the culmination of a legal saga involving the illegal transfer of a Russian PPSh-41 machine gun. Daniel Matthew Kittson, 61, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release, closing a chapter that began in December 2019.
Court documents reveal that a special agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) uncovered Kittson’s attempt to sell the high-capacity machine gun, capable of firing approximately 900 rounds per minute. His prior felony convictions for attempted murder, first-degree manslaughter, and felon in possession of a weapon rendered him ineligible to possess any firearm.
In early January 2020, investigators orchestrated two controlled interactions with Kittson, leading to the purchase of the illegal firearm on January 10, 2020. Subsequent tests confirmed the functionality of the machine gun, solidifying the case against Kittson.
A federal grand jury in Portland indicted Kittson on two counts—illegally possessing and transferring a machine gun and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon—on March 9, 2021. Following his arrest without incident on May 28, 2021, by the U.S. Marshals Service, Kittson was released after his initial federal court appearance. However, in June 2022, he absconded from pretrial supervision, leading to a manhunt.
After three months on the run, Kittson was apprehended on September 27, 2022, in Crook County, Oregon, while in possession of a firearm and small quantities of methamphetamine and heroin.
The legal proceedings concluded on August 24, 2023, with a jury finding Kittson guilty of illegally transferring a machine gun.
Source: US DOJ
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