A routine expired registration stop in DeSoto last Wednesday quickly turned into a serious weapons and drug bust, police say, after officers found three handguns, a Glock conversion device, THC vape cartridges and about two ounces of marijuana in a black Chevrolet Impala. One of the pistols had been reported stolen, and two of the guns were fitted with modified trigger assemblies. A 19-year-old Dallas resident now faces a stack of felony and misdemeanor charges.
According to a Facebook post by the DeSoto Police Department, officers on the Charlie shift pulled over the Impala for expired registration. Police say they smelled marijuana, searched the car, and recovered the guns and drugs. Two adults inside the vehicle were detained. The front passenger was arrested on an outstanding warrant for unlawful carrying of a weapon, while the rear passenger was released at the scene, per the department.
What Officers Say They Found
Police report that the search turned up three handguns and that two of the firearms had modified trigger assemblies. Investigators say they also located a Glock conversion device, often called a "Glock switch," and confirmed that one of the pistols was stolen. Officers say they additionally recovered THC vape cartridges and roughly two ounces of marijuana during the stop.
The person taken into custody was identified by police as 19-year-old Kaden Keshaun Williams of Dallas. The department says Williams tried to run from officers on foot and kicked an officer during the encounter, leading to a minor leg injury for one officer. According to police, Williams is facing multiple counts: felony possession of prohibited weapons related to the modified triggers, felony possession of a controlled substance for the vape cartridges, felony possession of a criminal instrument for the Glock conversion device, felony assault on a peace officer, and misdemeanor unlawful carrying of a firearm and resisting arrest.
Federal Context On Conversion Devices
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) classifies machine-gun conversion devices as machineguns under federal law. That means anyone caught with a device like a Glock switch can face federal prosecution and significant penalties. The ATF notes that these devices can allow a semiautomatic pistol to fire continuously with a single pull of the trigger, a detail that can change how local cases are handled and sometimes bring federal investigators into what started as a simple traffic stop.
A Trend Police Are Watching
Conversion devices and modified handguns have been turning up in gun seizures and criminal cases across the country, prompting some states to pursue laws targeting the designs and parts that make such switches possible. The Trace recently reported on state-level efforts to block the sale of pistols that can be easily converted.
Federal and local agencies have been bringing related cases in recent months. In one example, a July traffic stop in Mobile, Alabama, led to charges after officers found a Glock switch, according to WALA/FOX10. Incidents like these show how what begins as a routine stop can turn into a broader weapons investigation.
DeSoto police say the last e incident remains under investigation and that officers are continuing to pursue leads. For the department's full post and photos from the stop, see the DeSoto Police Department on Facebook.
