A 29-year-old man who was part of a criminal organisation that imported military-grade firearms from the US and sold them to "Ireland's top criminals" has been jailed for ten years.
Conor O'Brien, of Kilpatrick, Ardee, Co Louth, pleaded guilty to six charges, including possession of the firearms and helping the criminal gang for almost a year and a half between 10 February 2023 and 19 July 2024.
O'Brien, who has a degree in electrical engineering, was buying the guns in Nevada and smuggling them into Ireland in component parts, where they were sold on for use in serious and organised crime.
When arrested he told gardaí that he was in fear and "a fool" who was going to be "battered up and down" if he did not go to the US to get the guns.
He also initially downplayed his role in the offences but subsequently admitted to gardaí: "I know guns."
Detective Inspector Shane McCartan said that "without Conor O'Brien, there would be no criminal organisation, such was his importance."
Text messages were recovered from O'Brien's two phones.
On one he told a person known as 'Eugene' that there was a "suitcase full of Glocks" and ".22 is for babies", a reference to .22 calibre ammunition.
In April 2023, O'Brien flew to Las Vegas with Mark Mc Court, who is currently serving 12 years in prison for his involvement in the gun running operation.
In another text between O'Brien and an individual known as 'The Keeler', O'Brien said he was picking up "500 rounds of 9mm" and said that he was going "to stick them all together", which meant reassembling the component parts into firearms.
He had just returned from Las Vegas.
The weapons were fully assembled, with everything stored in a shed in Blackstick in Ardee, Co Louth, which was rented by O'Brien.
Detective Inspector McCartan said that communications revealed that O'Brien had "military grade rifles" and Glock handguns, as well as 60-round drum mags, which are capable of firing 60 rounds, as well as assorted ammunition.
McCourt had messaged that "75K is the best price" for one collection of weapons "or I'll get another man today for them."
O'Brien had bought one of the AR-15 rifles from a firearms shop in Nevada in February 2023 and in one message in July 2024, O'Brien told a man called 'Joe' that he was selling weapons to "Ireland’s top criminals".
He had also been in contact with a person known as 'C' and told them that he had "pipes" or pipe bombs.
O’Brien was involved in sourcing clients for pipe bombs, which were to be manufactured by McCourt.
There was also conversations and messages between the two men in relation to the importation of the weapons.
O'Brien, who has dual US and Irish citizenship, texted McCourt when stopped at the airport that he had been "pulled into secondary again" but managed to get away by "chatting" to the security man.
"No way what they say," Mc Court replied.
"Searched the bag, lucky he didn't take the checked in bag, he was about to, I was chatting to him," O'Brien texted.
In other texts from O'Brien he said the weapons were "smuggled in ha ha".
When asked "where do you sell the stuff?"
"Ireland’s top criminals LOL," he replied.
Gardaí discovered the cache of weapons and ammunition when they raided the shed being used to store and assemble them in Blackstick on 19 July 2024 and arrested both men.
O'Brien had rented the lock up on the basis of using it for an LED business.
Det Insp McCartan also said that other members of the criminal organisation were travelling to the US to support the transporting of ammunition and gun parts back to Ireland, with the gun component divided out between these air passengers.
He also said that McCourt "was directing operations" in Derry, Armagh, Dublin and Limerick, and dealing with "Ireland's top criminals" trafficking guns, ammunition and pipe bombs.
O'Brien has no previous convictions.
Ms Justice Karen O'Connor said O'Brien has committed extremely serious offences.
His offending assists criminality of the most violent and brutal nature, she said, enabling criminals to threaten and execute people.
She said the quantity of guns and ammunition was "breathtaking" and his "cavalier, casual and relaxed" communications about them and "Ireland top criminals" was very concerning.
The evidence against him was compelling, she said, adding that he was caught red handed.
However she said he did not have the same involvement as Mark McCourt who directed the organisation and she sentenced O'Brien to 11 years in prison, with the final year suspended.
