Boston – In a gritty federal courtroom, Michael Wilkerson, 23, faced the music for his involvement in a dangerous scheme. The court sentenced him to 20 months behind bars followed by two years of supervised release for his role in the unlawful trafficking of machinegun conversion devices.
Wilkerson, along with co-defendant Elijah Navarro, were caught in the act of manufacturing and selling these illegal gadgets that convert firearms from semi-automatic to fully automatic. The stakes are high – a single pull of the trigger can unleash a deadly spray of bullets.
In a shocking turn of events, on January 19, 2023, Navarro attempted to sell 12 of these devices for $1,700 to an individual. He met this buyer twice at pre-arranged locations in Boston. The second transaction took place on Jan. 25, 2023, out of Wilkerson’s residence.
But their scheme was not without consequences. On February 2023, authorities swooped down on Wilkerson’s home and discovered two 3-D printers, printing material, the conversion devices, firearms, ammunition, and magazines during a raid. The duo didn’t have the proper licenses for importing, manufacturing, dealing or possessing firearms.
Navarro pleaded guilty to his part in the conspiracy in December 2023 and is now awaiting sentencing.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit, with significant support from Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael A. Cox.
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Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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