Frank Ross Talbert, 41, was assigned to the 52nd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group at Fort Campbell, Ky., when he was arrested and federally charged in May 2024. He is still in the Army, according to officials at Fort Campbell. (Samuel Shore/U.S. Army)
An Army lieutenant colonel who last served as deputy commander of an ordnance disposal group pleaded guilty Monday to smuggling firearms parts into the United States from Russia and selling them without a federal license to do so.
Frank Ross Talbert, 41, was assigned to the 52nd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group at Fort Campbell, Ky., when he was arrested and federally charged in May 2024. He is still in the Army, according to officials at Fort Campbell.
He pleaded guilty before Judge Eli J. Richardson in the Middle District of Tennessee to 21 counts of weapon-related charges. They include violating the Arms Export Control Act, smuggling goods into the U.S., trafficking firearms, owning an unregistered machine gun, transporting illegal weapons and dealing firearms without a license, according to court documents.
Talbert also agreed to forfeit weapons and parts, including Russian- and Bulgarian-made AK-47-type firearms, according to the 17-page plea agreement.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 10. He could face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million.
An attorney for Talbert declined to comment on Monday.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection records show that Talbert received more than 350 foreign shipments of suspected firearms and parts dating back to July 2019, according to court documents. At that time, he was stationed at Fort Hamilton, N.Y., in Brooklyn, and was assigned to the United Nations as an improvised explosive device threat mitigation advisor. He also lived on the base with his family.
He was reassigned to Fort Campbell in July 2022 and moved to Clarksville, Tenn., where shipments continued, according to court documents. Talbert used variations of his name and his wife’s name with their address for the shipments.
Sixteen shipments – all containing firearms parts or munition-related items – were intercepted and seized by Customs and Border Protection, which involved the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Investigators also collected evidence of Talbert’s “significant presence” in online forums where members can sell, purchase and discuss firearms.
Federal agents searched his home in October 2023 and found a gun safe in the garage with five firearms made from illegally imported single-cut machine gun receivers, multiple shipping boxes filled with illegally imported items and a workstation with supplies to ship sold products, according to court documents.
Talbert has been in the Army since 2006 and has served overseas in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait and France, according to his official service record. His previous awards include two Bronze Star Medals, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, three Meritorious Service Medals, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, and two Army Commendation Medals. He also earned the Combat Action Badge, two Combat and Special Skill Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badges, the Parachutist Badge, and the Air Assault Badge.