A Cincinnati man, 24-year-old Isaiah M. Smith, was sentenced to 72 months in prison for his part in a scheme to manufacture and sell illegal machine gun conversion devices. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky, these devices, commonly referred to as "Glock switches", are capable of turning semi-automatic handguns into firearms that can discharge multiple rounds with a single trigger pull.

In a guilty plea, Smith admitted to making over 80 such conversion devices with the help of his accomplices, Demarco Sturgeon and Denico Hudson. The trio was implicated in supplying these devices to local gangs in Cincinnati, which have been linked to drug trafficking and multiple shootings, a statement obtained by The Enquirer detailed. During a search of Smith's residence in April 2023, law enforcement seized one such device and a loaded handgun.

U.S. District Judge David Bunning imposed the sentence upon Smith, who will also be subject to three years of supervised release following his prison term. His co-conspirators, Sturgeon and Hudson, were previously sentenced to 130 and 108 months in prison, respectively, each followed by terms of supervised release.

Conveying the gravity of the offense, Carlton S. Shier, IV, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, highlighted the inherent risks posed by these illegally modified weapons, saying through the U.S. Attorney's Office, "Machine gun conversion devices are incredibly dangerous, and an acute threat to the safety of our communities". The trafficking and use of these conversion tools have become increasingly common, with law enforcement agencies reporting frequent encounters in Kentucky and across the nation. Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the ATF's Louisville Division affirmed the danger of these devices, especially when they end up in the hands of gang members and drug traffickers.

Regarding the impact on local communities, a Special Agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives described a chilling incident linked to these devices. In July 2022, more than 100 rounds were fired in an Avondale shooting carried out by the "Button Boys" gang members, each wielding handguns equipped with Glock switches that were ostensibly acquired from Hudson. This account came to light during a hearing last week, with further details about the gang's procurement chain of the illegal apparatus, according to the The Enquirer.