U.S. Attorney’s Office launches initiative targetting gun switches

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The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced a new initiative on Thursday designed to target illegal machinegun conversion tools, known as switches.

Operation Flip the Switch falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide initiative launched in 2001 that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community.

A switch is a device that fits onto the back of a handgun and allows the user to switch between semi-automatic gunfire and fully automatic gunfire. The device is one inch long and can be made of metal or plastic and can be made on commercial 3D printers.

The National Firearms Act classifies any part added to a gun to transform it into a machinegun is considered a machinegun itself. The maximum sentence for a conviction in switch cases is 10 years in federal prison. 

In Alabama, there are no state laws regarding switches so all cases are tried federally. 

Operation Flip the Switch has three main points to address when cracking down on switches. The first goal is to prioritize the prosecutions that involve switch possession in Birmingham. In the last year and a half, there have been roughly 40 cases that have been prosecuted in the Northern District of Alabama. While some are still at various stages, 10 of these cases have reached sentences.

Next, local and state law enforcement will work and train with ATF to understand how these devices work and how to look for them. 

“People should feel safe in their homes, neighborhoods, and public spaces,” said U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona. “That is why we will use every tool in our toolbox to aggressively prosecute those who possess such deadly devices.” 

The last general goal of this initiative is to inform the public about switches and who to contact if one is identified. One of the agencies behind this initiative is Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama. They will offer cash rewards of hundreds to thousands of dollars for information leading to a warrant being issued or an arrest being made of someone who owns or is manufacturing switches.

Escalona said switch prosecutions are unique in that they are evidence-based cases. In these specific cases, if someone has a tip but fears retribution, they will not be asked to testify in court.