STAFFORD, Va. (WUSA) -- Two men have been arrested and charged for possession of pig iron, which is a class 6 felony, reports the Stafford County Sheriff's Office.
Twenty-four-year-old William Williams III of Stafford and 37-year-old Timothy Hackett of Hague, Virginia are charged with one count of possession of pig iron after allegedly acting as agents of Northern Virginia Metal Recyclers.
According to the sheriff's office, an undercover detective went to Northern Virginia Metal Recyclers on Monday and sold pig iron to William Williams and Timothy Hackett as part of an ongoing sting operation. When the pig iron was sold, deputies responded to the site to arrest the two men and execute a search warrant.
In Virginia, it's illegal to sell, purchase or possess pig iron, which is a type of iron used on all railroad tracks.
Stafford authorities begin investigating NOVA Metal Recyclers months ago after getting information that the recycler may be involved in the purchase of illegal metals. According to the sheriff's office, "on more than one occasion undercover detectives have made sales of illegal metals to employees of NOVA Metal Recyclers."
The sheriff's office continues to investigate and officials say that additional charges against other individuals are possible.