Two Starkville men were recently sentenced on federal charges related to illegal machine gun conversion devices, commonly known as “glock switches.”
Austin Hudson, also known as “Mop Sossa,” age 23, was sentenced to five years in prison followed by three years of supervised release on Friday, March 21. Just days later, on Tuesday, March 25, Kylen Ingram, also known as “KTM Prime,” age 22, received a sentence of three years in prison and three years of supervised release. Both were charged with possession and transfer of a machine gun conversion device.
A “Glock switch,” or machine gun conversion device, is a small attachment that converts a semi-automatic handgun into a fully automatic weapon by applying pressure to the trigger mechanism. Once installed on the back of the gun, the device allows the gun to fire continuously with a single trigger pull until the magazine is emptied. These devices are illegal under federal law and in most states, but are increasingly accessible due to their low cost and the ability to manufacture them with 3D printers. While these devices are named after the brand, they are not associated with or made by the weapons manufacturer GLOCK Inc.
Under the Firearms Owner’s Protection Act, passed in 1986, federal law states that it is unlawful for an individual to possess a machine gun or a device that converts another gun into a machine gun.
John Commerford, the executive director of the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action, emphasized the legal consequences of these devices.
“Possession of these conversion devices is already a felony under federal law,” Commerford said. “Their use in a violent or drug trafficking crime carries a 30-year mandatory minimum sentence. U.S. attorneys currently have the tool at their disposal to discourage the misuse of these conversion devices: prosecution.”
Locally, law enforcement is increasing efforts to address the issue. Starkville Police Chief Mark Ballard said his department is working closely with federal agencies.
“Glock switches are illegal in the United States under the National Firearms Act, which classifies them as machine guns,” Ballard said. “The Starkville Police Department is committed to working with our federal counterparts to seek federal time for anyone found in possession of these devices.”
The Starkville Police Department has partnered with federal agencies to fight back against the illegal possession of Glock switches, working with the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to prevent further incidents involving machine gun conversion devices.
In 2024, Mississippi passed House Bill 903, banning the possession of machine gun conversion devices. The law makes it a felony to manufacture, possess or use a device that converts a handgun into an automatic weapon. Violators may face up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $3,000 or both.
More than half the states in the United States have passed legislation to ban the machine gun conversion device, with New Mexico, Alabama and New York joining that number this year. Closer to Starkville, recent shootings in Jackson, Miss., and Birmingham, Ala., involved Glock switches.
“We’ve seen incidents where these devices were used,” Ballard said. “All law enforcement is very committed to addressing it and prosecuting, aggressively, anyone found with switches.”
According to Joshua Jackson, a special agent in charge at the ATF, the agency noted a spike in the production of machine gun conversion devices between 2016 and 2018. Since then, there has been a significant uptick in the devices’ use in Mississippi and around the country.
In response to the uptick, the ATF created a training product for local law enforcement in 2020 and 2021 to create awareness and provide information. This training system is constantly being updated to include the newest and latest versions of the machine gun conversion devices, such as the size of the device and how it impacts the gun. The ATF is providing the expertise of professionals to local law enforcement, essentially reinforcing the training system that the ATF can provide to work on cases with local law enforcement.
“We will see an increase in prosecutions of individuals who use these devices,” Jackson said. “Training will bring more awareness and reduce their proliferation into the public.”
Although laws have been passed on both state and federal levels, Ballard emphasized the role of community values in reducing gun violence.
“At the end of the day, you talk about culture respecting life,” Ballard said. “We can make as many laws as we want, but it’s going to be culture and the value of life that gets us to where we need to be.”