Joe Jasso, Manufacturing and Selling Machinegun Conversion Devices, New Mexico 2023

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A 20-year-old Albuquerque man has pleaded guilty in federal court to engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license and possession of a machine gun conversion device.

Joe Jasso, 20, was identified by the ATF in December 2022 as possibly being in possession of and selling illegal machine gun conversion devices, which modify firearms to make them fire fully automatic.

In January 2023, a new Instagram account was identified by the ATF, which appeared to belong to Jasso based on the same hand tattoos being visible on posts on the account. 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.

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 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.

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. His co-defendant, Rachel Jasso, is currently scheduled to stand trial on July 8, 2024.

The use of machinegun conversion devices poses a significant public safety risk, as they transform semi-automatic firearms into dangerous machine guns capable of causing catastrophic harm. 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.

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