Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced to Over Three Years in Federal Prison for Possessing “Glock Switch”

INDIANAPOLIS-Jaquan Robinson, 21 of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession of a machine gun.

According to court documents, on December 28, 2023, Marion County Probation officers conducted a compliance visit at Robinson's apartment in Indianapolis. During the compliance visit, a backpack containing the frame of a Glock handgun and mail addressed to the defendant was found in a closet in the living room. During a court-authorized search of the apartment, officers located a safe in Robinson's bedroom containing his identification documents and a Glock switch. Robinson admitted to knowingly possessing the machinegun conversion device and knowing that it was exclusively designed to convert an ordinary semiautomatic firearm into a fully-automatic machinegun. A review of Robinson's Facebook messages revealed that Robinson was seeking to purchase additional handgun parts in order to have a fully-functional machinegun.

Machinegun conversion devices, sometimes called "Glock switches" or "auto-sears," are devices that convert ordinary semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machineguns. Machinegun conversion devices are themselves considered machineguns under federal law, even when not installed, and are illegal for individuals to possess or sell.

Robinson has a history of firearms convictions. In September 2021, Robinson was convicted of a felony in Marion County for illegally bringing a firearm into a school. In June 2022, while Robinson was still on probation for his first firearms offense, he was convicted of another firearms offense in Marion County after he was found in possession of two more firearms and fled from police on foot after the vehicle he was in was pulled over. Robinson was still on probation for this second Marion County offense when he was arrested with the machinegun conversion device. At the time of his most recent Indiana arrest there were also firearms charges against Robinson pending in Michigan. As a convicted felon, Robinson is prohibited under federal law from ever lawfully possessing a firearm again.

"Illegally armed criminals are a grave danger to our families and neighbors-especially when they have machineguns capable of spreading carnage in mere seconds," said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. "Having or using a 'Glock switch' is a serious crime. The federal prison sentence imposed here should send the message that these weapons will not be accepted in our community. Our federal prosecutors, in partnership with the ATF and the City of Indianapolis, are committed to bringing these important federal prosecutions and making Marion County a safer place."

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nate Walter, who prosecuted this case. SAUSA Walter is prosecuting violent crime cases as a part of the partnership with the City of Indianapolis to identify, investigate, and federally prosecute violent crimes taking place in Marion County.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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