In a significant move to curb the tide of gun violence and illegal weapon modifications, a group of 10 men from Shelby County have been indicted on a range of federal gun crime charges. This indictment, announced by United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz on Tuesday, targets individuals involved in a series of violent crimes and the illegal possession of firearms, including devices known as "switches," which convert handguns into automatic weapons. Action News 5 reported that these charges are part of a concerted effort to promote safety in the Memphis and Shelby County regions.
Among those charged, Wayne Sanders, age 31, faced a superseding indictment with additional counts that include possession of a machine gun and assaulting a task force officer. Other individuals indicted for similar gun modifier offenses are Myles Bowens, Taveon Earnest, and Actavious Ellis, as reported by WREG. Cases involving serious firearms offenses, carjackings, and felonies round out the federal charges against the remaining defendants.
The enforcement measures align with the objectives of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a collaboration among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies aiming to reduce incidences of violent crime and gun-related offenses. ATF Special Agent Tom Neely emphasized the danger posed by switches, noting they can increase a gun's firing rate to as much as 1,000 rounds per minute, making subsequent shots beyond the first wildly inaccurate, as per a statement obtained by WREG.
Reacting to the indictments, United States Attorney Ritz affirmed the federal commitment to community safety stating, “As alleged, these individuals have committed serious federal crimes involving firearms or violent activity. Our office will continue to work with the Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force and other law enforcement partners to reduce violent crime in our community. The citizens of Memphis and Shelby County deserve to feel safe,” as indicated in an official press release reported by FOX13 Memphis.
The Department of Justice also encourages the public to actively engage in the fight against illegal firearm activities by reporting any knowledge of switches, or other federal gun crimes to the ATF hotline at 1-800-ATF-GUNS.
