Philip Shearer, 49, of Harrisburg — previously of Boiling Springs, Enola, Mechanicsburg, and Chambersburg according to public records — admitted to possessing an unregistered short-barrel rifle along with more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, several high-capacity magazines, night vision goggles, and a ghillie suit, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
A History Of Convictions
Shearer’s record spans more than two decades. Court records show 14 prior criminal convictions, including five for driving under the influence, a domestic violence conviction, and a 2013 guilty plea to indecent assault.
In 2023, he was charged in Cumberland County for making false statements on a firearms purchase form after he twice tried and failed to buy a gun legally. Instead, prosecutors said, Shearer turned to making his own weapons.
Federal Sentence Handed Down
On July 14, 2025, U.S. District Judge Karoline Mehalchick sentenced Shearer to 115 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He had pleaded guilty to one count of possession of an unregistered firearm.
“The sentencing of Philip Shearer emphasizes the serious dangers posed by felons who unlawfully possess and manufacture firearms,” said Edward V. Owens, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia…