AUGUSTA - A fourth man accused of taking part in a gun-running operation was sentenced Tuesday to two years in federal prison. <br>
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Erich Olaf Tate, 29, is cooperating with federal authorities in their investigation. Hundreds of handguns were bought at Augusta-area pawn shops for resale in New York City, officials said. <br>
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According to prosecutors, the operation began in 1999 and continued until April 2002 before anyone noticed Tate was purchasing large numbers of guns. <br>
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``I made a mistake,'' Tate said in court. ``I was talked into doing something I should have known was wrong. I blame myself for that.'' <br>
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He pleaded guilty in October to conspiracy to traffic in guns. Prosecutors said the gun-running operation fell apart when Tate ordered 34 pistols from A-1 Jewelry and Pawn Shop in Hephzibah, a major buy that prompted the store owner to call the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. <br>
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Seventeen charges were dropped against Tate, including a cocaine trafficking charge, in exchange for his guilty plea and cooperation. <br>
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He was ordered to spend 25 months in federal prison and three years on supervised release. He also must perform 200 hours of community service. <br>
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Three others involved in the operation were sentenced last year.
