Austin Jaden Jones, Machinegun Possession, Mobile AL, 2023

MOBILE, AL – Austin Jaden Jones, 22, of Mobile, is facing a lengthy stint behind bars after being sentenced to 70 months in prison for illegally possessing unregistered machineguns. The case, a tangled web of firearms, drugs, and attempted destruction of evidence, culminated in a federal courtroom this week.

The bust went down June 2, 2022, when Mobile police executed a search warrant at an apartment shared by Jones and others. Before officers even breached the door, they reported hearing frantic activity – repeated toilet flushes, movement inside, and the sound of breaking objects. When Jones finally emerged, he was sporting a fresh, bleeding cut on his hand.

The scene inside was chaotic. Beyond the obvious signs of a hurried cover-up, officers seized eight pistols, five of which were confirmed stolen. Scattered ammunition, over four pounds of marijuana (some of it bobbing in the toilet), bottles of promethazine syrup, drug paraphernalia, and more than $4,100 in cash were also recovered. But the real heat came from two of the stolen pistols, modified with illegal ‘Glock switches’ – devices that turn semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic machineguns.

Jones admitted to attempting to destroy the switches with a hammer and scissors before police arrived, a desperate attempt to hide his illegal modifications. These “switches” effectively bypass federal regulations, allowing a Glock pistol to fire multiple rounds with a single trigger pull – making it a machinegun under federal law, and illegal to possess without proper registration. Jones had not registered either weapon.

Senior United States District Judge Callie V.S. Granade handed down the 70-month sentence, followed by a three-year term of supervised release. During his release, Jones will be subject to drug testing and treatment. While a fine was not imposed, Judge Granade did order Jones to pay $100 in special assessments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Mobile Police Department jointly investigated the case, highlighting a collaborative effort to keep illegal weapons off the streets. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced the sentencing, signaling a continued crackdown on firearms offenses in the region.

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