Four men from Los Angeles County and Nevada are facing federal charges for illegally selling firearms on Instagram, including untraceable "ghost guns" and machine gun conversion devices known as "Glock switches." According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California, the indictment alleges that the defendants conducted the illicit arms trade on the social media platform from July 2023 to May 2024, without the necessary federal firearms licenses.

Mark Perez from Henderson, Nevada, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in downtown Los Angeles, securing an August 6 trial date, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office. Perez, along with Ivan Quintos of Azusa, Salvador Lopez of Whittier, and Zachary Dry also from Henderson, stand accused of engaging in a business of dealing in firearms without a license. Additionally, Perez is charged with other firearms-related offenses including being a prohibitive person in possession of firearms and ammunition, due to his prior misdemeanor conviction for domestic violence.

Authorities, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Baldwin Park Police Department, and the Los Angeles Police Department, are involved in the investigation. If convicted, the consequences are severe – Perez could face up to 100 years, Quintos 35 years, Lopez 15 years, and Dry 25 years in federal prison, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William M. Larsen of the General Crimes Section, reinforcing the gravity with which the justice system views the unlicensed sale of firearms, and the inherent risks they pose to public safety.