Caden Martinez, 17, Xavier Velasquez, 17, Marnelius Burks, 20, Marco Cabrales, 22 are in the top row from left to right. Royce Weaver, 21, Anthony Cantu, 18, Damien Sereseroz, 20, and Gracie Valadez, 20 are in the bottom row, from left to right.
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Officers recovered four firearms and 35 Glock Switches that were advertised and sold through social media.
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Glock Switches can turn semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons.
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3 search warrants and 8 arrest warrants were served across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
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Officers recovered four firearms and 35 Glock Switches that were advertised and sold through social media.
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Glock Switches can turn semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons.
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3 search warrants and 8 arrest warrants were served across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
DallasThe U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas said that following a four-month investigation into the illegal distribution of Machine Gun Conversion Devices, also known as Glock Switches or auto sears, three search warrants and eight arrest warrants were executed throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex on January 9.
38 machine gun conversion devices and multiple firearms have been seized by law enforcement as part of “Operation Texas Kill Switch” thus far.
We know:
According to court filings, two of the people who were arrested are charged with ordering switches online from China and sending them to North Texas. It is alleged that one man sold the switches to an undercover police officer after promoting them on social media.
Additionally, he is charged with using social media to promote the sale of switches and drop-in sears. He met with an undercover investigator to deliver one on December 3, 2024, according to the police. He replied, “Hell yeah, my boy,” when asked if the aforementioned sear made rifles fire completely automatically. He also mentioned that he had one on his own AR-style pistol.
Who was arrested in the takedown?
Caden Martinez, 17, Xavier Velasquez, 17, Marnelius Burks, 20, Marco Cabrales, 22 are in the top row from left to right.Royce Weaver, 21, Anthony Cantu, 18, Damien Sereseroz, 20, and Gracie Valadez, 20 are in the bottom row, from left to right.
In a single federal indictment, Marnelius Burks, 20, Marco Cabrales, 22, and Royce Weaver, 21, were accused with conspiracy to possess and transfer a machine gun, aiding and abetting to possess and transfer a machine gun, and possession and transfer of a machine gun.
In a different federal indictment, Gracie Valadez, 20, and Damien Sereseroz, 21, were accused of aiding and abetting the transfer and possession of a machine gun.
A criminal complaint was filed against 18-year-old Anthony Joel Cantu for possessing a machine gun, which is also a federal violation.
They could each spend up to ten years in federal prison if found guilty.
State charges include Possession of a Prohibited Weapon, Unlawful Use of a Criminal Instrument, Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity, and Possession of PG2 against 17-year-old Caden Martinez and 17-year-old Xavier Velasquez.
On Monday, the defendants appeared in federal court for the first time.
Highlighted
19-year-old Dallas gang member arrested in Glock switch crackdown
Federal charges have been brought against a Dallas gang member for allegedly owning an illicit equipment that can convert a handgun into a fully automatic weapon.
What they’re saying:
We promised six months ago that the federal government would use all of its resources to combat the trafficking of machine gun conversion technologies. We’ve accomplished that with the assistance of our law enforcement colleagues,” stated U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “These illicit devices significantly boost a firearm’s lethality when in the hands of a criminal. Our streets will not be overrun by them.
“Unfortunately, the good guys cooperate with the bad men. Fortunately for our folks, we collaborate better than any criminal organization, even though it may not always seem that way in Hollywood. Last year, we pledged to launch a full-scale assault against machine gun conversion devices, and this case demonstrates that our team is on track. ATF Dallas Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II said, “I want to thank the Irving Police Department, especially their incredibly talented detective team, and all our law enforcement partners for this collective win for the people of the DFW metroplex.”
“I would want to express my gratitude to the Irving Police Department and ATF Dallas for their joint efforts in combating the grave problem of unlawful firearm modifications. “We will continue to work diligently to prevent the proliferation of dangerous weapons in our community, and our commitment to public safety remains unwavering,” Boshek stated.
The backstory
The takedown on Thursday was a component of “Operation Texas Kill Switch,” a statewide effort targeting “switches,” or machine gun conversion devices, which convert semi-automatic firearms that are sold commercially into fully automatic weapons that can fire more quickly than military-grade machine guns.
Operation Texas Kill Switch was started in June 2024 by U.S. Attorneys Leigha Simonton, Alamdar Hamdani, Damien Diggs, and Jaime Esparza. It is supported by Crime Stoppers rewards and collaborations with state and local law enforcement.
The arrests were also a part of “Operation Reel Switch,” which was carried out by the Irving Police Department to combat the unlawful distribution and possession of machine gun conversion devices throughout the metroplex. Operation Reel Switch, a collaboration between Irving Police, ATF Dallas, and Homeland Security Investigations Dallas, was initiated in September 2024.
What is a switch?
The ATF shows how a weapon with a Glock Switch differs from one that is semi-automatic.
Reasons to be concerned:
Switches are around one inch long, may be manufactured on commercial 3D printers, and can be composed of plastic or metal. They often fit into a gun’s butt and enable “full auto,” which lets the shooter fire dozens of rounds with a single squeeze of the trigger. (Regular semi-automatic rifles, on the other hand, need a different trigger pull for every cartridge that is shot.)
“We are here to discuss a piece of plastic that is about one inch in length. It appears harmless enough, resembling a K-Nex block or a piece of Lego. However, during a June press conference, U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton stated, “This one-inch piece of plastic is killing people.” “Machinegun conversion devices have the power to transform minor offenders into vicious murderers and Second Amendment-protected firearms into unlawful weapons of war. Our streets cannot become battlegrounds. In north Texas, we cannot and will not permit switches to spread.”
Switches have been utilized in a number of deadly shootings to date, including multiple police killings and at least one mass shooting involving minors.
Because a switch is classified as a machine gun under the National Firearms Act, it is unlawful to possess one, with very few exceptions.
However, in recent years, law enforcement has recovered a far higher number of switches.
Of the 991 switches that Texas-based ATF officers confiscated between 2017 and 2023, 490 (or 50%) were taken last year. They are frequently advertised to both adults and children on social media.
“The swift proliferation of machine gun conversion devices on Texas and other streets is the biggest concern for me as someone who has worked in this field for a long time. You may be confident that ATF and its allies are making every effort to halt the spread of these creatures and the potential destruction they may cause. “I commend our U.S. Attorney partners for their determination to bring these criminals and gangsters to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II of the ATF Dallas Field Division.
The article’s information comes from the Irving Police Department and the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.
