Lansing Man Convicted Of Possessing A Machinegun

GRAND RAPIDS - U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that a federal jury convicted Valentino Wallace, 22, of Lansing, with possession of a machinegun. Wallace is scheduled to be sentenced in the coming months.

"The gun violence epidemic is devastating families in Michigan and across our nation," said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. "The increased prevalence of switches, or machinegun conversion devices, that can spray up to a thousand rounds per minute with a single pull of the trigger presents an added level of danger to our communities. Offenders who possess these devices face the very real possibility of federal prosecution."

In February 2023, Lansing Police Department officers were conducting surveillance at Wallace's house as part of a shooting investigation. Wallace left the house and officers attempted a traffic stop, but Wallace ran from the car. Officers caught and arrested him and found a loaded Glock pistol with an extended magazine and a switch attached in the snow nearby.

In the weeks preceding the incident, Wallace posted photos on social media showing himself holding the same gun and made other posts referring to Glock switches. Testing showed that the extended magazine, which held 31 rounds, could be emptied in about a second and a half with a single pull of the trigger due to the installation of the switch on the gun.

"I would like to thank U.S. Attorney Mark Totten and his team for standing firm on gun crime by charging Valentino Wallace," said Lansing Police Chief Rob Backus. "This case is one of many that demonstrates our dedication to ensuring criminals are held accountable. By collaborating with our federal partners, we are actively working to make Lansing safer for all."

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Lansing Police Department investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Doaa Al-Howaishy and Nils Kessler are prosecuting it.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/psn.

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