Editors Note: The following press release is directly from ATF. Regular readers of AmmoLand News know our stance on the unaccountable Federal Agency: No comment. We invite our readers to leave their hard-hitting insights in the comments below.
HAMMOND – -(Ammoland.com)- Michael Thedford, 29 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge James T. Moody on his plea of guilty to possessing an unregistered machinegun, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Thedford was sentenced to 63 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release
According to documents in the case, on March 21, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Thedford’s residence and recovered narcotics, five loaded firearms with high capacity magazines, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
Also recovered was a Glock firearm that contained a conversion device also known as a “Glock Switch” that converted the semi-automatic firearm to a fully automatic weapon.
This weapon was required to be registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Records in accordance with the National Firearms Act but was not.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Caitlin M. Padula and Kevin Wolff.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally-based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Chicago Field Division
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
ATF is the federal law enforcement agency responsible for investigating violations of federal firearms and explosives laws and regulations. More information about ATF and its programs can be found at www.atf.gov.
Let’s see…5 years and three months in a cage for not paying an UNCONSTITUTIONAL tax to possess a machine gun. No victims involved. So can someone PLEASE explain to me how this ISN’T cruel and unusual punishment in direct violation of the 8th amendment to OUR bill of rights? Help me out here. Oh, and of course a BLATANT violation of the 2nd amendment SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED. 63 months is too long for some folks. Those ” ENFORCEMENT agents” best be really careful because some folks just might take the view of the Founding Fathers at Concord Green and… Read more »
“Personally I can’t think of a better reason in the world to have a “machine gun” then to fight tyranny with one.” And, THAT is why they don’t want We The Little Peeps to have them. There is no “NEED” clause in the Second Amendment. But, just for shits and giggles, suppose there were. The fact that our government has ARs/high cap mags/full autos/short barrels/et el, is all the “NEED” I need to have them. “Tyranny is that which is legal for governments, but which is illegal for citizens.” so saith Tommy…..Tommy Jefferson. Class dismissed.
^^^^^ Great response, except for the “our” government part. It hasn’t been OUR government for at least 125 years.
I see the government thugs are bragging about armed robbery, aggravated kidnapping, and violation of rights again.
We need to record it because it is evidence, to be used to rid ourselves of them.
I am not a Glocksmith so please foregive any ignorance of a Glock’s inner workings I may demonstrate by asking this question. I am curious as to whether a manual safety could be incorporated into a back plate replacement in the same way as these select fire switches so that someone desiring a manual safety on their Glock might easily install one. This might give an added level of comfort when doing appendix carry or in other situations. Also, if such add-on manual safeties were possible and became commonplace, might they tend to muddy the waters regarding probable cause to… Read more »
If someone isn’t comfortable carrying a firearm without confidence they can keep their finger off the trigger until they are ready to fire – then they shouldn’t be carrying a firearm. They should be training.
Whoosh… The sound of the point of my comment made as it sailed over your head, on two levels. On one level, I would never feel comfortable carrying a Glock in appendix mode, even with a good, stiff, Kydex holster, for fear that part of my shirt, undershirt, or other material might get caught between the holster and cause a discharge. I saw a video a few years ago where this happened to an unfortunate fellow. It was not clear how much damage he sustained to his man parts, but I wouldn’t have traded places with him for a million… Read more »
Glocks all have a safety. Can you explain how you can get anything caught between that safety and make it fire without being totally careless? I’ve been carrying a Glock in a Remora holster for years and just can’t see an issue arising. I can’t see one rising from any NORMAL holster. Now those little things that attach to the trigger guard with a cord, well maybe. But even then..How can my clothes get inside the trigger guard and cause the firearm to discharge? Makes no sense to me. I’d like to scrutinize that video if you happen upon it… Read more »
Some of us were raised with safeties. We like what we know.
The most important safety is located between the ears of the person carrying or using the firearm,.
I carry external safeties on all my guns……including Ithacs, Rems, Wins, Mossy shotys. Never know when the safety goes off to shoot or back on when firing is completed. It’s called knowing the manual of arms. Never missed a quail, dove, pheasant, duck, et el because of a safety. Same with all my EDC firearms. In the unfortunate, extremely unlikely event of a gun-take-away, the perp probably isn’t practiced with an external safety hopefully giving me a couple seconds to rain vicious wrath down on his person, recovering control of the weapon and ending his mis-adventures permanently.
One good way to look at it. I might have to rethink my carry weapon. I wish my HK-M13 was a .45 or at least a .40 S&W. It would be the ultimate confusing firearm for someone who took it uninvited.
I would suggest that, even if it were possible, the safety would be in such an awkward position as to be relatively impossible to actuate in an emergency situation.While it may do what you suggest it sounds more like a solution looking for a problem.
The nail that sticks up gets knocked back down. Some people don’t like thinkers. Be careful.
Fu** atf and their extended families.
publish their home addresses
Project safe neighbours dam the anti gun folks never give up. If owning fully automatic handgun is possible legally and that is your desire than dot all the I cross all the T and proceed.
Yeah, just kiss their ass and lick their boots, after all, the 2nd amendment has that listed in the EXCEPT column.