How Tate Adamiak’s 20-year sentence compares to 10 other ATF cases

Summary

Patrick "Tate" Adamiak, an active-duty U.S. Navy E-6 with no criminal history, received a 20-year (240-month) federal prison sentence despite the ATF finding only legal firearms, parts, and collectibles during a search. The article critically compares Adamiak's sentence, which stemmed from prosecutors alleging 977 pieces of sheet metal were machineguns, to ten other Department of Justice cases involving drug trafficking and illegal possession of actual machine guns, often resulting in significantly shorter sentences.