CAPE GIRARDEAU – In a shocking case of gun-running, a Dunklin County, Missouri man has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for selling a device that can convert a Glock pistol into a machine gun.
Cole Johnathan Campbell, now 22, of Kennett, Missouri, made the sale on October 12, 2022 to a confidential informant working for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The auto sear, also known as a “Glock switch,” converts a semi-automatic Glock pistol into a fully automatic firearm. Under federal law, Glock switches alone, even if not attached to a firearm, are defined as a machine gun.
Campbell told investigators that he had removed the device from his own gun, knew it worked, and had a video of it in operation. He also offered to sell more of the devices, according to his plea agreement.
Campbell pleaded guilty in March to one felony count of unlawfully transferring a machine gun.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Willis prosecuted the case.
Campbell will serve his two-year sentence in federal prison. The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of gun-running and the importance of enforcing federal laws related to firearms.
Related Federal Cases
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- Martavious Jones, Carjacking and Gun Store Burglary, Missouri 2024 · Arkansas
- Martavious Jones, Carjacking & Gun Theft, Missouri 2022 · Arkansas
- Dawon Hennings, Felon Gun Possession, Missouri 2022 · Kansas
- Christopher Brian Roe Faces Assault Charges, Missouri, 2024 · District of Columbia
Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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