A Memphis man, Roosevelt Wilson, age 43, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison after being found in possession of 25 illegal machine gun conversion devices, known as “switches.” The announcement was made by United States Attorney Kevin Ritz following the sentencing by a federal judge.
The case came to light when U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents intercepted a package from an overseas shipper addressed to Wilson. The package was found to contain 25 devices capable of converting semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons, thereby significantly increasing their rate of fire.
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On February 28, 2023, law enforcement conducted a controlled delivery of the package. Wilson attempted to evade arrest by leading officers on a high-speed chase through a residential neighborhood, during which he disposed of the package and a firearm. The discarded firearm, identified as a .40 caliber Glock-style gun with no serial numbers, was equipped with one of the conversion devices.
Wilson entered a guilty plea on January 12, admitting to the possession of the machine gun conversion devices and acknowledging that they had been unlawfully imported into the United States. On April 25, 2024, he was sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker to 60 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security, with additional support from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Southaven Police Department, and the United States Marshals Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Eileen Kuo, who prosecuted the case, received thanks from United States Attorney Ritz, along with the law enforcement partners who played a crucial role in the investigation.
Source: Read Original Release
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