An 18-year-old from Brockton has been nabbed with a handgun altered for fully automatic fire, city police said.
Det. Jonathan Miranda received a tip about SZANDOR O'MALLEY packing heat. A digital trail of photographs on Snapchat showed O'MALLEY flaunting the weapon. The posts date back to earlier this year, indicating this wasn't a one-off show of the handgun.
Law enforcement caught up with O'MALLEY on March 12th during a traffic stop. The young man was riding shotgun when the cops pulled the vehicle over at the County St./Bedford St. junction around 10 p.m. O'MALLEY was then searched and the gun found tucked in his waistband—a Polymer 80 pistol loaded with 10 rounds and kitted out with a light and an "auto sear switch," turning the semi-automatic into a machine gun capable of spraying a whole mag with just one pull of the trigger.
According to official reports, seizing guns modified with auto sears is becoming a more common task for cops across the nation. It's been found that these modifications are easily obtained, often created using 3D printers or bought illicitly from Chinese manufacturers online.
O'MALLEY is now facing charges for carrying and possessing a loaded, unlicensed machine gun. The Brockton police are urging anyone with more information to come forward. Tips can be submitted anonymously online or by dialing 508-99-CRIME for a chat with the authorities.
