Dallas Resident Martin Avina Sentenced To 4 Years For Selling Illegal Glock 'Switches'
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A Dallas man who sold at least nine Glock pistol "switches" – devices that convert ordinary semiautomatic pistols into fully automatic machine guns – has been sentenced to four years in federal prison.
Martin Aviña pleaded guilty in 2021 to conspiracy to possess unregistered firearms and possession of unregistered firearms. He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David C. Godbey, who noted that selling Glock switches into the community was extremely dangerous.
According to plea papers, Aviña admitted he possessed – and later delivered for sale – at least nine Glock switches, which are classified as machine guns under federal law.
Unlike semiautomatic firearms, machine guns – weapons that can fire more than one round, without manual reloading, by single function of the trigger – are generally unlawful for non-licensed civilians under the National Firearms Act. A pistol equipped with a conversion device (also called an "auto sear") can fire up to 1200 rounds per minute, a faster rate of fire than the standard M-4 machine gun issued to U.S. military service members.
"Mr. Aviña knowingly put machine guns all over the streets of our Dallas neighborhoods. By utilizing social media, these defendants were able to advance their criminal enterprise and put the lives of others at risk," said ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II.
Glock switches have been linked to gun violence across the country, including the murder of a Houston police officer last fall.
According to court filings, Aviña and his coconspirators sold 20 Glock switches to an undercover agent in four separate transactions. The switches were advertised for sale on Snapchat and sold for up to $900 apiece.
"Conversion switches pose a grave threat to public safety," said U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. "Quick and easy to install, these devices turn everyday pistols into highly lethal machine guns. While we respect law-abiding citizens' right to bear firearms, we cannot allow sears to proliferate on the streets of Dallas."
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives' Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation with the help of the Dallas Police Department.
