ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, March 7, 1997 TAG: 9703070068
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WORCESTER, MASS.
A Roanoke, Va., man has pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of stolen firearms, one of which was later sold and used in the murder of a police officer in a Newark, N.J., courthouse.
Randall J. Cofske entered the plea Monday to one count of a five-count indictment charging him with possession of several stolen firearms, according to U.S. Attorney Donald Stern.
Prosecutors said Cofske and two other men stole about 10 handguns during a home burglary in Salem, Va., in October 1992, and later drove to Worcester, where they sold most of the guns for drugs and money through Cofske's cousin.
One of the guns, an Astra .357-caliber Magnum handgun, was recovered in Newark after it was used June 3, 1993 in the murder of a police officer standing outside a courtroom corridor waiting to testify in a drug case.
Cofske faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine.
The other two men, Christopher Morris and Julian G. Benoit, pleaded guilty in December to various firearm offenses. They face the same penalties when they are sentenced this month.
Charges are still pending against Cofske's cousin, Rene Armenia Jr., and the buyer of the guns, Reynaldo Barnes, both of Worcester.
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LENGTH: Short : 33 linesby CNB