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WILKES-BARRE — A Luzerne County man has reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors after they said he promised to carry out a hate crime with an illegally owned machine gun.

John “Jake” Hasay, 22, agreed to plea to a single count of illegally possessing a machine gun, according to court records filed Wednesday.

The charge against the Shickshinny man came after he was arrested in August. Federal prosecutors accused him of making a “written promise to commit a hate crime.” They also said he had “ready access to illegally modified firearms and black-market firearm component dealers and reoccurring advancements of Nazi and white supremacist related ideologies.”

Hasay’s attorney, Al Flora Jr., said Hasay isn’t a racist, but rather just had a habit of posting immature things online.

Hasay, who is a Navy veteran and the son of senior District Judge John Hasay of Shickshinny, is admitting with his upcoming guilty plea that he made illegal modifications to a semi-automatic Glock handgun and converted it into a fully automatic weapon. Federal law states any fully automatic weapon is classified as a machine gun and requires a license to own — a licence Hasay lacked. The charge carries a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

However, prosecutors said in the deal they would be willing to recommend a lesser sentence if Hasay shows he’s accepted responsibility.

As part of the agreement, Hasay will forfeit several guns, including a handful of pistols and rifles, including an Uzi with a shortened barrel.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo previously argued Hasay should stay in prison until his trial, arguing he was a danger to both society and himself. While under arrest, he underwent in-patient psychiatric treatment after Caraballo argued against out-patient treatment.

However, prosecutors never formally charged Hasay with any violent crimes, and as part of the plea deal, they are agreeing not to pursue any further charges related to the incident.

Hasay’s plea has not yet been officially entered.

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By Patrick Kernan

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Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @PatKernan