21-Year-Old Imperial Resident Indicted for Illegal Machinegun Conversion Device Possession

IMPERIAL, Pa. – The grim streets of Imperial witnessed a federal charge today as Ja’Shon Spencer, 21, found himself in the crosshairs of justice. Spencer has been indicted by a Pittsburgh grand jury for violating federal firearms law—a serious charge that could land him behind bars for up to a decade.

The indictment lays bare that on June 16, 2025, Spencer allegedly possessed a Glock semiautomatic pistol with an illegal machinegun conversion device (MCD). An MCD is a device designed to turn a semiautomatic firearm into a fully automatic weapon—a dangerous transformation that places lives at risk.

The law doesn’t play around; the maximum sentence for this offense is up to 10 years in federal prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher will be leading the charge against Spencer.

This investigation was a joint effort by the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It’s also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence across communities, making them safer for everyone.

While an indictment is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty, the charges against Spencer are serious. He now faces a future that could be drastically altered by this one moment of poor judgment.

The Department of Justice’s commitment to curbing violent crime has never been clearer as they strengthen PSN with a focus on fostering trust in communities and strategic enforcement priorities.