Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General | https://www.justice.gov/
Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General | https://www.justice.gov/
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin and the ATF Madison Field Office have issued a warning about the rising threat posed by machinegun conversion devices (MCDs). These illegal devices, which are becoming more common in Wisconsin, can transform semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic machine guns.
An MCD is a small device that enables a firearm to fire 50 rounds in four seconds with one trigger pull. "Machinegun conversion devices are extraordinarily dangerous," stated U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea. He emphasized the difficulty in controlling such weapons and the danger they pose to public safety, particularly in crowded areas.
Special Agent William Fulton from the ATF Madison Field Office noted, “The proliferation of machinegun conversion devices adds another, even more deadly, layer to firearms violence.” Eric Rice from Homeland Security Investigations echoed these concerns, highlighting their commitment to addressing this issue through enforcement and education.
To tackle this problem, U.S. Attorney O’Shea announced a strategy involving collaboration with various law enforcement agencies like ATF and Homeland Security Investigations. This strategy focuses on enforcement, investigation, and education.
On November 21, 2024, O’Shea and Fulton discussed this approach with Wisconsin law enforcement officials. They stressed that possession or sale of MCDs is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000.
In terms of investigation efforts, local law enforcement will receive guides and training on handling MCD cases. Additionally, there is cooperation with the U.S. Postal Service to identify suspicious packages potentially containing MCDs.
For education, outreach efforts include working with media outlets and community groups to raise awareness about the dangers of these devices.
Several prosecutions related to MCDs have occurred during 2024:
- Byron Ellison received a sentence of 3.5 years.
- Byron D. Broomfield was sentenced to 6.5 years.
- Damarion Jackson received a sentence of 21 months.
- Ramogi Carr was sentenced to 54 months.
- Cases against Jontrae M. Larsen and Donald R. Spivey Jr., as well as Damon L. Clark are still pending.
Federal sentences for these crimes are served without parole.
For further information on machinegun conversion devices, materials from ATF are available along with an informative video link: https://youtu.be/7VKocW4Qk4k
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