On Tuesday, Cornelius police hit a home off Psalm Street with a search warrant and say they walked out with what looked a lot like a home arsenal. Officers reported seizing 26 firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, dozens of magazines, and a handgun that had been altered with a fully automatic switch. Investigators labeled that converted pistol a “weapon of mass destruction” under state law. A resident, identified by police as Jose Licona‑Sanchez, was arrested and faces multiple state charges, authorities said.
What officers found
In total, officers say they collected 26 firearms: 13 pistols, including a 3D-printed Glock lower, and 13 rifles, shotguns and AR-style pistols. The haul also included 35 magazines, three of them high-capacity drum magazines, and 1,577 rounds of assorted ammunition, according to WBTV.
Police also reported seizing roughly 2,152 grams of marijuana, including flower, 427 marijuana vape cartridges, 756 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 33 LSD tabs, 28 grams of methamphetamine, six grams of cocaine and multiple marijuana edibles, the station noted. Officers said they recovered $1,797 in cash and determined that two of the firearms had been reported stolen. Licona‑Sanchez was booked on charges that include possessing a weapon of mass destruction, trafficking methamphetamine and multiple counts tied to narcotics and stolen firearms, according to Cornelius police.
How state law frames the charge
North Carolina law carves out a special category for certain especially dangerous weapons. Article 36B of Chapter 14 of the state code covers the manufacture, possession and related offenses for specified weapons and attaches felony penalties for violations. The text of those provisions, including the sections on unlawful manufacture or possession, is laid out by the North Carolina General Assembly. That state framework is separate from federal machine gun statutes, but it helps explain why a handgun altered with an installed conversion device can trigger a “weapon of mass destruction” charge under state law.
Glock "switches" draw federal scrutiny
The small conversion devices often referred to as “Glock switches” can turn a semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic weapon, which has drawn intense attention from federal authorities. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has highlighted investigations that recovered such conversion devices and led to prosecutions in coordination with U.S. attorneys, per an ATF press release. Those nationwide enforcement pushes form the backdrop for local cases where officers find altered guns and similar parts and can sometimes prompt parallel federal reviews.
What’s next
Cornelius police say the investigation is still active, with prosecutors expected to review the evidence before deciding on any final set of charges. The agency has not said whether any federal partners are involved at this stage. For now, Licona‑Sanchez remains in custody on the state counts outlined by authorities, and investigators are processing the seized firearms and narcotics. Anyone with additional information is being urged to contact Cornelius police, according to WBTV.
