The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Tennessee is prosecuting 26 individuals accused in crimes involving machine gun conversion devices, also known as “switches” or auto sears.

U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the prosecutions, which he said have been aided by federal and local law enforcement partners, on Monday.

Ritz said law enforcement agencies are seeing more switches on the streets, and he wants people to know his office is “aggressively prosecuting” those in possession of these devices.

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Switches are small steel or plastic squares that affix to a semi-automatic weapon and engage the firing pin, converting the weapons into guns capable of firing dozens of rounds of ammunition in seconds. 

“Switches are illegal,” Ritz said. “Federal law treats any switch, or gun with a switch, like a machine gun. Possession of a machine gun is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison.”

Ritz made his remarks in the 8th-floor conference room of the Clifford Davis-Odell Horton Federal Building at 167 N. Main St. He was flanked by:

• Marcus Watson, special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Nashville field division
• Douglas DePodesta, special agent in charge at the Federal Bureau of Investigation Memphis field office
• United States Marshal Tyreece Miller
• Andrew Hurd, acting assistant special agent in charge for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Memphis office
• Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr.
• Memphis Police Department Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis

Ritz said switches make it difficult to control the direction of gunfire. And they’re often paired with high-capacity magazines.

“Switches are illegal. Federal law treats any switch, or gun with a switch, like a machine gun. Possession of a machine gun is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison.”

U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz

They can be made at home using a 3D printer or ordered online.

“Unfortunately, these devices are very cheap to make,” Watson said. “You can order most of the supplies online. But make no mistake, they are machine guns. We haven’t seen things like this since the 1930s, almost like mobsters, when the National Firearms Act was enacted, when Congress thought, ‘Hey, machine guns have no place in the general public.’”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is charging nine people who are accused of selling, possessing or using switches. Fifteen people have been convicted, and Ritz said, “We have more cases like this in the pipeline.”

MPD's Davis said that officers have recorded more than 6,000 stolen firearms over the last three years. 

“And many of these weapons had conversion devices attached because of the proliferation and irresponsible handling of handguns,” Davis said, adding that 10 small children were killed by weapons this year.

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“These guns as demonstrated do nothing more than create more danger and hazards on the streets of Memphis,” Davis said. “There isn’t a valid reason for anyone to convert a pistol into a machine gun. The only intent for this type of firearm is to kill and to cause destruction.”

Ritz’s office also issued a public service announcement Monday:

Citizens with information about switches are encouraged to call 1-800-ATF-GUNS or visit the ATF website.