U.S. Attorney Warns of Increasing Threat from Machinegun Conversion Devices as Jackson Man is Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Possessing a Machinegun and Another Jackson[...]

Jackson, Miss. - The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Mississippi warned of the increasing threat from machinegun conversion devices, also known as "switches," as a Jackson man was sentenced to two years in prison for illegal possession of a machinegun conversation device and another Jackson man pled guilty to that offense.

According to court documents, on Friday, February 9, 2024, Kylin Demond Russell, 22, led Capitol Police officers on a high-speed chase, reaching speeds of up to 120 mph, after failing to yield for a traffic stop. When his vehicle ultimately came to a stop, he attempted to flee on foot, was detained, and two Glock pistols with attached MCDs were found in the vehicle. Capitol Police contacted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The vehicle driven by Russell appears to match the description of a vehicle seen in a video, taken by a citizen in Jackson and widely distributed on-line, showing a person firing a weapon from the vehicle.

Russell was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 21, 2024, and pled guilty on May 2, 2024, to possession of a machinegun. Russell was sentenced on August 9, 2024, to two years in prison. He will not be eligible for parole because there is no parole in the federal system.

In a separate case, Javarius McDonald, of Jackson, pled guilty to illegal possession of a machinegun conversion device, also known as a switch, that was attached to his Glock pistol. According to court documents, on December 4, 2023, McDonald, 19, was stopped by Ridgeland Police for a window tint violation because the windows in the vehicle he was driving appeared too tinted under state law. Officers smelled marijuana while speaking with McDonald and performed a probable cause search of the vehicle. Officers recovered a Glock with an attached machinegun conversion device underneath the driver's seat.

McDonald is scheduled to be sentenced on November 27, 2024, and faces up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

"I cannot emphasize enough how dangerous 'switches' and other devices are that make a semi-automatic gun a fully automatic machinegun," said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee. "They can be readily purchased on-line or printed with 3D printers, and they lead to more carnage on the streets, including a higher likelihood of bystanders being hit by gunfire. Machinegun conversion devices are illegal under federal law and Mississippi state law, and seizures of these devices have gone up exponentially across the nation in the last several years. The Department of Justice and our state and local partners are extremely focused on taking persons off the street who possess and use machinegun conversion devices."

The U.S. Attorney's Office has seen an increase in cases involving illegal firearm conversion devices, commonly known as "switches" or "auto sears," which convert semi-automatic handguns into fully automatic weapons (i.e., machineguns) in a matter of seconds. The rapid fire of firearms converted to machineguns presents a significant danger in our community to both the public and law enforcement. An individual found in possession of a Glock or auto-sear switch will face up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine under federal law.

According to a 2023 report by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), there was a 570% increase in the number of machinegun conversion devices taken into ATF custody between 2017 and 2021.

"The illegal possession of handgun conversion devices is a significant threat to our communities," said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. "The sentence imposed and guilty plea in these cases sends a message to anyone who possesses a switch that we will continue to focus efforts on prohibited individuals who unlawfully possess these devices, remove another violent criminal from our streets, and keep our neighborhoods safe as the top priority for ATF."

"I am extremely proud of the efforts being made at the local, state, and federal levels to address the issue of 'switches' on firearms," said Commissioner Sean Tindell of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. "These devices pose a serious threat to public safety, and it's our responsibility to ensure they are removed from our streets and that those responsible are prosecuted. By working together, we can enhance the safety of our state and communities and hold accountable those who endanger them."

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee, Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Commissioner Sean Tindell of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety made the announcement.

The ATF and the Capitol Police investigated the Russell case. The ATF and the Ridgeland Police Department investigated the McDonald case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted both cases.

The Russell case is the result of Operation Unified and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), both of which are coordinated efforts between state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies. Agencies participating in Operation Unified include the Mississippi Department of Public Safety's Bureau of Narcotics, Capitol Police and Office of Homeland Security; the Jackson Police Department; the Hinds County District Attorney and Hinds County Sheriff's Office; the Mississippi Department of Corrections; and the FBI, DEA, and ATF, as well as the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The McDonald case is a result of the PSN program. The PSN Program is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice's violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.