DALLAS — A known member of a North Texas criminal street gang has been charged for possession of multiple "Glock switches", announced the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.
Jamarion White, 19, was arrested last week then was charged by the state for the June 9 murder of 18-year-old Kevin Hernandez. It's not immediately clear if the weapon used to kill Hernandez contained a Glock switch.
The case is part of Operation Texas Kill Switch. Authorities say the half-inch piece of plastic is making Texas much more dangerous. It’s called a machine gun conversion device, or “Glock switch.”
The devices transform regular handguns into fully automatic weapons that can fire numerous rounds with a single squeeze of the trigger. The devices can be manufactured in a few hours using a 3D printer. Installation can take less than 60 seconds.
“Switch-equipped guns can fire faster than military-issue M4s. This is not the kind of weapon we want criminals carrying," said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton.
According to a news release, on June 12, just three days after Hernandez's murder, law enforcement responded to a call about two suspicious men smoking marijuana inside a “beat-up Ford.” When officers arrived, they found White, a known member of the 65 Groveside criminal street gang, in the front seat.
The officer spotted a Glock pistol under White’s leg and told him to place his hands on the dash, officials said. Instead, White ran away into a wooded area. Eventually, he was located at a nearby home after reports of an intruder.
Officers later recovered three loaded Glocks, all equipped with switches.
The news release also stated that White posted photos on social media of him holding one of the switch-equipped guns and a music video where White allegedly explained how switches operate.
If convicted of the machinegun charge, White faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
