Convicted sex offender in NJ admits having machine gun

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- A New Jersey man convicted of sexually assaulting a minor has admitted transforming a replica into a functioning Thompson submachine gun.

David Lutter pleaded guilty Monday in federal court in Newark to possessing three firearms as a convicted felon.

Prosecutors say the 69-year-old Verona resident modified the replica of the weapon with real gun parts and converted it into a functioning automatic firearm that could fire 20 to 25 bullets per second.

Lutter sold it and two other guns to an undercover agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

He faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he's sentenced in October.

Lutter was not licensed to sell firearms because he was convicted in 1993 of sexually assaulting a minor.