Marquel D. Payne, 39, of Evansville, Indiana, will spend seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing firearms and manufacturing machine gun conversion devices.
Payne was caught by authorities with a 3D printer he was using to create illegal “Glock switches,” devices that convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic machine guns.
A search of his residence and other locations revealed approximately 60 of these devices, along with a 3D-printed “ghost gun,” an AR-15 rifle, a silencer, and ammunition. “Ghost guns” are untraceable firearms without serial numbers.
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Payne’s criminal history, which includes convictions for escape, carrying a handgun without a license, and criminal recklessness while armed with a deadly weapon, prohibited him from possessing any firearms.
“Getting illegal machinegun conversion devices off our streets is a critical public safety priority. Fully automatic weapons and untraceable ‘ghost guns’ pose a serious danger to our communities, especially when they are in the hands of people who have no lawful business possessing any firearm,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This prosecution is the result of quick and impactful investigative work by our outstanding partners at the Evansville-Vanderburgh Crime Gun Intelligence Center. Together we are committed to saving lives and reducing gun violence by combining intelligence and resources to investigate and prosecute dangerous offenders.”
“Unfortunately, these deadly conversion devices continue to show up in our communities,” stated Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “U.S. law has long recognized that automatic weapons pose a special risk to public safety, both through the sheer volume of bullets fired and the likelihood that innocent bystanders will be injured or killed. Combine that with an untraceable firearm and an unregistered silencer in the hands of a convicted felon, and it is clear that this individual is solely interested in feeding violence in southern Indiana. ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who use and distribute machine gun conversion devices.”
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“My office applied for and was awarded a $700,000 federal grant to form the crime gun intelligence center where our mission is clear: to work with our state and federal partners to combat the rising crime in Vanderburgh County. We are now seeing the fruits of our labor,” said Prosecutor Diana Moers. “My office and our state and federal partners will stop at nothing to identify and prosecute any who seek to commit violent crimes in our community – this case is a result of teamwork and, with our agencies working together, we expect more cases like this: we are ahead of criminal activity and not simply reacting. Anyone planning to break the law in Vanderburgh County should swiftly reconsider.”
This case highlights the growing concern of criminals using 3D printers to manufacture illegal firearms and devices. The Evansville-Vanderburgh Crime Gun Intelligence Center played a key role in the investigation, demonstrating the importance of interagency collaboration in combating gun violence.
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