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As part of a gun-running network, Javier "Broly" Rodriguez-Valpais, 33, Morganville sold a .223-caliber semi-automatic rifle to a co-defendant -- who, in turn, sold it to an FBI cooperator, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said.
Rather than face trial, Rodriguez-Valpais took a deal from the government, pleading guilty earlier to gun-trafficking conspiracy and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
He must serve just about all of the sentence because there's no parole in the federal prison system.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson sentenced Rodriguez-Valpais to three years of supervised release during a videoconference earlier this week in Trenton.
Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division with the investigation leading to the please and sentence, secured by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian D. Brater of his Criminal Division in Trenton.
The U.S. attorney also thanked the FBI Tampa Division, the ATF Newark and Tampa field divisions and Freehold police for their assistance.
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