Orlanier Colon Menendez, 21, of Conway, South Carolina, has pleaded guilty to possessing a machine gun and a dozen devices used to illegally convert handguns into fully automatic weapons.
The charges stem from a car accident investigation where Conway police officers discovered a .45 caliber handgun equipped with a “Glock switch” – a device that enables a firearm to fire continuously with a single pull of the trigger. A subsequent search uncovered a backpack containing 12 more conversion devices and tools used to install them.
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Menendez now faces a potential sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. The judge could also impose restitution and three years of supervised release following his imprisonment.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Conway Police Department conducted the investigation, and the case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Hixson.
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