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.
LAS VEGAS – -(Ammoland.com)- A Las Vegas man made his initial appearance in federal court yesterday for allegedly possessing a machine gun, and for allegedly engaging in the manufacturing and selling of privately made firearms [PMF], including machine gun conversion devices commonly referred to as “Glock Switches” — which are designed to convert semi-automatic pistols to fire automatically — without a Federal Firearms License (FFL).
Clarence Meekins (36) is charged with one count of illegal possession of a machine gun and one count of engaging in the business of dealing and manufacturing firearms without a license. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for May 17, 2022, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Albregts.
According to allegations in the complaint, between March 23 and April 11, 2022, Meekins sold privately made 3-D printed firearms and Glock Switches. On April 28, 2022, law enforcement executed search warrants on Meekins’ vehicle and residence. During the searches, law enforcement seized a rifle, a shotgun, a .38 revolver, 3-D printers, machine gun conversion devices, 3-D pistol frames, and various magazines and ammunition. Meekins does not have an FFL, which is required to engage in the business of dealing or manufacturing firearms.
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Meekins has prior felony convictions in Nassau County, New York, including possession of a controlled substance, Hobbs Act robbery, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Accordingly, federal law prohibits him from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The statutory maximum penalties are 10 years in prison for illegal possession of a machine gun, and five years in prison for engaging in the business of dealing or manufacturing firearms without a license.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Patrick Gorman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Reese is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
San Francisco Field Division
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
ATF is the federal law enforcement agency responsible for investigating violations of the federal firearms and explosives laws and regulations. More information about ATF and its programs can be found at www.atf.gov.
still waiting for a story from them on sending hunter biden to prison.
applying illegal rules equally to all people , there is not enough drugs on the planet to make me believe anyone at atf would even try
Americans have always manufacturered firearms and sold them without permission from the ATF . Sounds like Infringment to me . Private sales is a right that the government has no say over . The ATFs changing definition of a automatic weapon changes daily . Just like a fuel filter is now a suppressor . These idiots just never surprise me with thier ability to transform inanimate objects into a illegal firearm component.
The descriptions that the AFT (Xiden’s term) use showcase their profound ignorance of even the most basic concepts of firearms: seized …. 3-D printers (are these illegal now?), machine gun conversion devices (what … like rubber bands?) , 3-D pistol frames (are there 2D pistol frames?), and various magazines and ammunition. Meekins does not have an FFL, which is required to engage in the business of dealing or manufacturing firearms (last time I checked, I can absolutely manufacture my own firearms – since when is that illegal?) These ass-clowns probably think they’re “good people” … what a bunch of pathetic… Read more »
LOL. The 2D frames would be a picture and those are only illegal inside a school building. (Pop-tarts are 3D but they cast a 2D shadow.) You can manufacture a hundred frames a day and even give them away but to sell, trade, or barter one will put you on the fed’s naughty list. The 3-D printers were used to manufacture so those are now contraband to be seized as is the building where manufacturing or sales took place, the car used to in transportation to possibly buy or sell anything related to manufacture (including a trip to the grocery… Read more »
olddognc, I see your point that some firearms will have failures at high rates of fire if not designed to withstand that kind of beating… but you lost me at ” ONE OVER LOOK FACT ABOUT THE TRAGIC LAS VEGAS MUSIC SHOOTING YEARS AGO USING BUMP STOCKS WAS EVER NOTICE HOW MANY LONG GUNS WERE USED WITH PARTIAL EXPENDED CLIPS “ this narrative would be comedy if not for the deaths and destruction that day. There was no evidence that any of the weapons displayed for the media and arranged neatly in the hotel room had been fired that night… Read more »
From Wikipedia 2017 Las Vegas shooting excerpt: “Final investigative reportOn August 3, 2018, Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo held a press conference on the release of the LVMPD Criminal Investigative Report of the October 1 Mass Casualty Shooting. … Weaponry Twenty-four firearms, a large quantity of ammunition, and numerous high-capacity magazines capable of holding up to 100 rounds apiece were found in the suite.[142][143] Fourteen of the firearms were .223-caliber AR-15-type semi-automatic rifles: three manufactured by Colt, two by Daniel Defense, two by FN Herstal, two by LWRC International, two by POF-USA, one with a .223 Wylde chamber by Christensen… Read more »
NOT MACHINE GUN BUT FULL AUTO PISTOL. UNLESS THE PISTOL IS WELL MAINTAIN WON’T MAKE IT THROUGH A FULL CLIP. ONE OVER LOOK FACT ABOUT THE TRAGIC LAS VEGAS MUSIC SHOOTING YEARS AGO USING BUMP STOCKS WAS EVER NOTICE HOW MANY LONG GUNS WERE USED WITH PARTIAL EXPENDED CLIPS. UNLESS YOU KNOW HOW TO MAINTAIN A FIREARM IN TOP CONDITION IT WILL JUST JAM. MANY DON;T REMEMBER A LOT ABOUT WWII BUT THE COLT 45 IN FULL AUTO GAVE PISTOL RISE RESULTING IN MORE THEN A FEW PEOPLE SHOOTING THEMSELVES. AN AR IN FULL AUTO IS ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLE THAT’S WHY… Read more »
I beg to differ but I shot an M4 and M16 once a quarter and had no problem holding a 15 round burst on target for all 15 rounds.
Was talking more about holding a full auto pistol on target. An AR is “ALMOST”. A lot depends on the person, brand of rifle, accessories and level of training for that person
So if someone builds an 80% pistol or rifle or both they are illegally manufacturing firearms? Now I’m really confused. I’ve seen videos on Youtube where some folks have made lots of them and were showing them off.
Its legal.
I believe it is ILLEGAL in Nevada. Used to live in Vegas. Got out of that shitehole 3 years ago. Would never move back….
If he were the relative of Obama, Kamala, Biden, Clinton, Pelosi, etc., we’d never hear about this, or it would be a one day headline…were this the one true president Trump’s kid…the internet would implode and CNN would be rescued from bankruptcy. I’m hoping someday soon, there will be a revolution. One day the ATF is going to fuck with the wrong person.