JACKSONVILLE, FL – Darnell Donya Rice, Jr., 28, of Jacksonville, Florida, is headed to federal prison for five years after admitting to selling a device that turns a Glock pistol into a machinegun to an undercover ATF agent. The bust, part of a larger investigation into Rice’s illegal firearms operation, reveals a brazen disregard for federal law and a clear profit motive.
According to court documents, the deal went down on November 30, 2021. Rice met with a confidential informant and the undercover agent, offering a “Glock switch” – a cheap device that bypasses safety mechanisms and allows a pistol to fire like an automatic weapon – for $1,000. He then agreed to sell a Glock pistol the following day for a total of $1,800. Rice didn’t hesitate to break the law, readily procuring the pistol from a licensed dealer, but lying on the required ATF-Form 4473, falsely claiming he was the actual buyer. He was, of course, buying it for the agent.
But the switch and the Glock were just the tip of the iceberg. When ATF agents executed a search warrant at Rice’s home on December 9, 2022, they weren’t prepared for the arsenal they found. As they arrived, Rice, standing in front of his house, actually pointed a loaded pistol at an approaching van carrying four federal agents. He was quickly subdued and arrested. A search of the premises uncovered a staggering 23 firearms – 17 semiautomatic pistols, 5 semiautomatic rifles, and a shotgun. One pistol had its serial number deliberately obliterated.
The investigation revealed Rice wasn’t a casual collector. Authorities determined he’d been actively dealing firearms without a license since at least 2018, buying and selling guns for profit. He used social media to advertise his wares and connect with buyers. Rice himself admitted to ATF agents he’d bought and sold “hundreds” of guns, sourcing them from various locations. Records show he purchased 77 firearms from a single Jacksonville gun store alone. The total cost: a hefty sum that fueled his illegal operation.
Beyond the sheer volume of weapons, agents found a bump stock-type device attached to one of the semiautomatic rifles, further enhancing its ability to function like a machinegun. Over 3,400 rounds of ammunition were also seized, painting a picture of a man heavily invested in the firearms trade. U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis sentenced Rice to five years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty on August 22, 2022, to possession and transfer of a device designed for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun, and making a false written statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. While five years is a significant sentence, it remains to be seen if it’s enough to deter others from following in Rice’s footsteps and flooding the streets with illegally modified and trafficked firearms. The ATF continues to investigate potential co-conspirators and the source of Rice’s initial firearm supply.
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