The U.S. Attorney's Office and the ATF are cracking down on illegal gun modifications, launching a PSA aimed at curbing the spread of machine gun conversion devices. United States Attorney Martin Estrada teamed up with the ATF's Los Angeles Field Division to educate the public about the hazards of these devices, also known colloquially as "switches," "chips," or "auto sears," and the potential federal charges that could follow their possession.
In a newfound push for awareness, officials have made it clear that these devices transform semi-automatic weapons into the equivalent of machine guns with the capability to unload an entire magazine with the single pull of a trigger. As reported by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, ATF LA Field Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Bombardiere said, "In the last five years, ATF has recovered more than 31,000 machine gun conversion devices." He emphasized that these are not mere gun accessories, but illegal components that carry the same classification as a machine gun under federal law.
Highlighting the alarming trend and severity of the crime, U.S. Attorney Estrada stressed the dire repercussions of possessing such unlawful devices. "Simply possessing a conversion device can carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, and law enforcement is committed to eradicating them for everyone’s safety," Estrada stated in the PSA. The PSA, shared across various media platforms, underscores the commitment of authorities in removing these dangerous items from communities.
Authorities are reaching out directly to the public, urging them to report any instances of manufacturing, selling, or possession of these illegal devices through contacting their local ATF office. According to the same source, the campaign also offers guidance on how to safely dispose of machine gun conversion devices. Advertisements for these prohibited items often use misleading terminology intended to confuse consumers and law enforcement alike, falsely claiming their legality.
It's clear from the definitions cited by the National Firearms Act and the Gun Control Act that any weapon or parts designed to convert firearms into the capacity for automatic fire constitutes a machine gun and are thus regulated stringently. Links to the 60-second video PSA and shorter 30-second alternatives intended for television and radio were also released by the U.S. Attorney's Office, showing the urgency with which these federal entities seek to inform and protect the public from these unlawful and hazardous modifications.
