In Seattle, Andre Justice Atwater, 26, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of a machine gun. The sentencing follows his June 2024 arrest after a BB-gun altercation, which led police to discover an arsenal in his International District apartment, including 20 unregistered ghost guns and over 100 Glock switches. U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd announced the sentence.
U.S. District Judge James L. Robart called the offense very serious, citing Atwater’s use of 3D printers to fabricate illegal firearms. Police discovered a bedroom-turned-gun workshop in his Seattle apartment, complete with a 3D printer and gunsmithing tools. Authorities seized 25 firearms, including ghost guns and 103 Glock switches, marking the largest seizure of its kind in the Western District of Washington.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg urged a three-year sentence, highlighting the danger Atwater’s firearms posed to Seattle. “The sheer volume of guns and 103 machinegun conversion devices shows his intent to sell these weapons,” Greenberg said. “Without law enforcement intervention, they could have reached dangerous individuals,” according to the U.S. Attorney's Office website.
Judge Robart ordered that Atwater serve three years of supervised release after his prison term. He was also sentenced to nine months in King County Superior Court for the BB-gun assaults that led to his arrest. The case was handled by the Seattle Police Department, ATF, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg.
