An Indianapolis man has been handed a sentence of over five years in federal prison for possession of illegal firearms and machine gun conversion devices. Q'Tez Laquan Ginn, aged 19, will serve 61 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana. Ginn pleaded guilty to the possession of a machine gun, a charge that stems from an incident involving him carrying an AR style pistol in a parking lot in August 2024 where suspected narcotics trafficking was occurring.
While Ginn was out on bond on a felony charge, law enforcement officers discovered him with marijuana and a pistol in a vehicle. After his arrest, phone calls made by Ginn, incarcerated at the time, directed family members to hide his weapons and drugs. This was despite the charges already looming over him, found in control of even more firearms, including two that were modified to fire automatically. While in custody, Ginn continued to exert control over his illegal arsenal, instructing relatives where the items should be stashed.
In September 2024, a judicially authorized search at a known family residence turned up a duffel bag filled with guns, magazines, and two machine gun conversion devices attached to firearms. Commonly referred to as "Glock switches" or "auto-sears", such mechanisms illegally transform semiautomatic weapons into fully automatic ones. By law, these devices are considered machine guns in their own right and are prohibited from possession or sale by individuals.
Acting United States Attorney John E. Childress expressed concern over the implications of machine gun conversion devices in urban areas. "Machine gun conversion devices only exacerbate the already dire situation of individuals using firearms for violent purposes. In a city already overwhelmed by gun violence, these devices contribute to further instability for community members and law enforcement," said Childress, pondering on the prevalence of gun-related violence in a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana. The case was a combined effort by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD), with a final sentence given by Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt.
The investigation by both the ATF and IMPD leading to Ginn's conviction underscores the ongoing issue of illegal firearms modification and trafficking. Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela Domash, who prosecuted the case, was thanked by Childress for her work in securing the sentence. The conviction of Ginn serves as a stark reminder of the justice system's continued focus on combating gun violence and the illegal arms trade.
