Montgomery Man Charged with Possession of a Machinegun Conversion Device on the Campus of Tuskegee University

Montgomery, Ala. - A Montgomery, Alabama, man is facing a federal charge for possessing a firearm with a machinegun conversion device, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. On Nov. 10, 2024, law enforcement arrested 25-year-old Jaquez Myrick, alleging that he illegally possessed a machinegun.

According to the criminal complaint and other court records, on Nov. 10, 2024, law enforcement responded to a reported mass shooting at a parking lot on the campus of Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama. Upon arrival, responding officers observed a large number of people gathered in the parking lot and heard shots being fired. One of the officers observed Myrick holding a handgun and detained him. When agents inspected the handgun retrieved from Myrick, they determined that it was equipped with a machinegun conversion device.

When installed on a firearm, a machinegun conversion device, commonly known as a "switch," allows a gun to function as a fully automatic weapon capable of firing up to 20 rounds per second with a single pull of the trigger. The possession of a machinegun - which under the relevant federal statute, includes the possession of a conversion device alone - carries a penalty of up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Myrick made his initial appearance in federal court this afternoon in Montgomery.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a crime has been committed. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), Tuskegee University Police Department, City of Tuskegee Police Department, Macon County Sheriff's Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Fifth Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office, and the Alabama Attorney General's Office are investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara S. Ratz for the Middle District of Alabama is prosecuting the case.

Law enforcement is asking for the public's assistance in this investigation. Anyone with information is asked to please submit tips at 1-800-CALL-FBI and upload any digital files regarding this incident online at: fbi.gov/tuskegeeshooting24.