Ellwood 'pack rat' sentenced in firearms case

Jan. 14, 2011

By PATRICK E. LITOWITZ
plitowitz@ncnewsonline.com

A judge rejected an argument that an Ellwood City felon’s “unique history” as a pack rat should result in probation.

Yesterday, Senior U.S. District Judge Maurice B. Cohill sentenced Dean Huzinec to four years in prison for violating federal firearms and explosives laws.

Huzinec pleaded guilty June 30, 2010, to possessing a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of an explosive.

U.S. Attorney David J. Hickton’s office announced the penalty against the 49-year-old Huzinec.

According to court records, the Fire Street resident possessed 19 firearms, a firearm silencer and explosive material on Aug. 17, 2008.

Calling her client a tinkerer, attorney Linda E. J. Cohn said Huzinec “collects anything that he can fix up and re-sell or re-use himself.”

“Although he should not possess firearms, he is far from being a person who stockpiles weapons or possesses them for any sinister purpose,” she wrote in her sentencing report.

Cohn, an assistant federal public defender, said Huzinec knew he shouldn’t have had the weapons.

“Several of the firearms in this case were registered to his ex-girlfriend,” she continued. “Other firearms were old guns that had belonged to his father, and a couple of them were at his house because he was trying to fix them for other people.

“Mr. Huzinec freely admits that he bought a number of the firearms at flea markets.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig W. Haller wrote in his response Huzinec knew his collection of weapons violated the law.

“The need for deterrence is quite apparent in light of Mr. Huzinec’s decision to pursue his interest in firearms and explosive material instead of demonstrating respect for the laws — laws Mr. Huzinec was very familiar with,” Haller said. “To Mr. Huzinec’s credit, he acknowledged his responsibility for his collection of guns and explosive material readily and repeatedly after he was arrested.”

The investigation included the following departments: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Franklin Township Police Department; the Allegheny County Police Department Bomb Squad; the Beaver County District Attorney's Office; the Pennsylvania State Police; and the Ellwood City police.