ALBUQUERQUE — In a stunning display of brazen disregard for the law, 20-year-old Joe Jasso has pleaded guilty to engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license and possession of a machine gun conversion device.
According to court documents, the ATF identified Jasso as the culprit behind the illicit sale of machine gun conversion devices on Instagram, a social media platform notorious for its ease of use and lack of effective moderation.
On December 2022, the ATF identified Jasso by the distinctive tattoo on his hand, which he thought would remain hidden from prying eyes. However, the ATF was one step ahead, and their investigation led them to Jasso’s doorstep.
In January 2023, Jasso deleted his Instagram account, but the ATF was not fooled. They identified a new account that belonged to Jasso, based on the same hand tattoos visible on posts on the account. Undeterred, the ATF continued their investigation and, on February 3, 2023, undercover detectives from the Albuquerque Police Department contacted Jasso through Instagram and set up a controlled purchase of machine gun conversion devices from Jasso and his mother, Rachael Jasso.
During the transaction, Jasso explained to the undercover detective how to install the conversion device onto a firearm and confirmed that it would allow the firearm to shoot fully automatic. Jasso also offered to obtain an assault rifle auto sear to sell to the undercover officer. The transaction was a clear indication of Jasso’s intent to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a license.
On February 16, 2023, federal law enforcement agents and local law enforcement executed a search warrant at Jasso’s residence in Albuquerque. Inside the home, law enforcement located and seized approximately ten firearms, five machine gun conversion devices, a large amount of ammunition, numerous ammunition magazines (both loaded and unloaded), and a 3D printer.
As part of his guilty plea, Jasso admitted that he knew the conversion devices met the federal definition of a firearm and that he did not have a license to engage in the business of selling firearms. The Court ordered that Jasso remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Jasso faces up to 10 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Jasso will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel A. Hurtado is prosecuting the case.
Machine gun conversion devices and auto sears are illegal devices designed to modify a semi-automatic firearm so it is capable of fully automatic fire, that is, continuous firing with a single trigger pull. The possession, manufacture, and/or sale of machine gun conversion devices without proper licensing is a federal offense punishable by severe penalties, including up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000. The use of machine gun conversion devices poses a significant public safety risk, as they transform semi-automatic firearms into dangerous machine guns capable of causing catastrophic harm.
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Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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