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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; 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.</p><p>John &#8220;Jake&#8221; Hasay, 22, agreed to plea to a single count of illegally possessing a machine gun, according to court records filed Wednesday.</p><p>The charge against the Shickshinny man came after he was arrested in August. Federal prosecutors accused him of making a &#8220;written promise to commit a hate crime.&#8221; They also said he had &#8220;ready access to illegally modified firearms and black-market firearm component dealers and reoccurring advancements of Nazi and white supremacist related ideologies.&#8221;</p><p>Hasay&#8217;s attorney, Al Flora Jr., said Hasay isn&#8217;t a racist, but rather just had a habit of posting immature things online.</p><p>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 &#8212; a licence Hasay lacked. The charge carries a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.</p><p>However, prosecutors said in the deal they would be willing to recommend a lesser sentence if Hasay shows he&#8217;s accepted responsibility.</p><p>As part of the agreement, Hasay will forfeit several guns, including a handful of pistols and rifles, including an Uzi with a shortened barrel.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>Hasay&#8217;s plea has not yet been officially entered.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Hasay </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_Hasay-AK-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Hasay </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Patrick Kernan</p><p>pkernan@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @PatKernan</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Man enters guilty plea on weapons charge after alleged hate threats