The short-barreled upper receiver unit was an AR-15-type unit, compatible with AR-15-type lower receiver units. However, the short-barreled upper receiver unit was not attached to the lower receiver unit of this weapon at the time it was found.   2   Instead, an upper receiver unit with a barrel length in excess of sixteen inches ("the longer-barreled upper receiver unit") was attached to the lower receiver unit that was part of the weapon charged in Count Three.
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Kent testified that he owned the short-barreled upper receiver unit only for its component parts. He claimed that he intended to use the gas tube, the upper receiver assembly, the handguard assembly, the forward and rear sights, and "[e]verything but the barrel."
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The Government contended that this evidence of the short-barreled upper receiver unit being an intact, active unit, with a sling and with batteries in the scope, and the fact that the short-barreled upper receiver unit was easily interchangeable with other AR-15 upper receiver units including the longer-barreled unit on the Colt AR-15 when it was found in Kent's apartment, demonstrated that Kent's intent was to use the short- barreled upper receiver unit as an intact unit as opposed to using the unit for parts.
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In Count Three, Kent was found guilty of possession of a rifle with a barrel length of less than sixteen inches, not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 5861(d).