WASHINGTON — A teenager is facing multiple charges in connection to gun trafficking in D.C.
According to the Metropolitan Police Department, the Violent Crime Suppression Division (VCSD), along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and Homeland Security Investigations worked together to arrest a 17-year-old boy accused of multiple trafficking offenses within the District.
The investigation began back in May when members of the Seventh District found a social media account selling auto-sear switches, a conversion device that modifies a semiautomatic gun into a machine gun. These modifiers are also commonly known as Glock Switches and are illegal under federal law.
Investigators tracked down the owner of the social media account and undercover officers were able to purchase multiple auto-sear switches from the seller. In addition to the illegal switches, police claim the teen was selling privately made firearms, which he built himself, and large-capacity ammunition feeding devices.
The 17-year-old accused gun trafficker was arrested on Thursday during an undercover operation in the Fourth District. He has been charged with possession of a large-capacity ammunition feeding device, possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of unregistered ammunition, carrying a pistol without a license, and possession of an unregistered firearm.
After serving a search warrant at the teen's home, officers say they found more weapons, ammunition and gun-building equipment.
Police have not identified the suspect.
Anyone with information may contact detectives at (202) 727-9099 or by texting the department's tip line at 50411.
TSA officials confiscated 72 guns from DCA, BWI and IAD security checkpoints in 2021, compared to 30 in 2020 and 60 in 2019.
