Q’Tez Laquan Ginn, a 19-year-old resident of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 61 months in federal prison. This sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release after he pled guilty to possessing a machine gun.
Machine gun conversion devices, often referred to as “Glock switches” or “auto-sears,” transform standard semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machine guns. Under federal law, these devices are classified as machine guns even when they are not installed and are illegal for individuals to possess or sell.
Court documents reveal that in August 2024, Ginn was observed carrying an AR-style pistol in a parking lot suspected of narcotics trafficking. Later that day, officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) found him with marijuana and a pistol inside a vehicle. He was charged with felony dealing marijuana and taken into custody. At the time, Ginn was out on bond for a felony charge of resisting law enforcement in Marion County.
While detained, Ginn made phone calls instructing family members to relocate and store his firearms and controlled substances at a familiar home. He maintained control over these items during his incarceration.
In September 2024, law enforcement executed a judicially authorized search at the designated home. They discovered a black duffel bag containing a Glock handgun, two AR-style pistols, and multiple magazines, including two loaded high-capacity drum-style magazines. The Glock handgun and one of the AR-style pistols were equipped with machine gun conversion devices.
“Machine gun conversion devices only exacerbate the already dire situation of individuals using firearms for violent purposes,” stated John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “In a city already overwhelmed by gun violence, these devices contribute to further instability for community members and law enforcement.” Childress commended the IMPD and ATF for their dedication to tackling gun violence.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) along with IMPD investigated this case. Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt imposed the sentence.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress expressed gratitude towards Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela Domash for prosecuting the case.
