ST. LOUIS, Missouri – Reginald Smith, 28, of Jennings, has admitted to selling machine gun conversion devices and methamphetamine to an undercover federal agent.
Smith pleaded guilty on Thursday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to three counts of possession of one or more machine guns, one count of unlawfully dealing in firearms, and one count of aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Smith began selling machine gun conversion devices (MCDs) on Facebook, which led the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to launch an investigation.
On December 5, 2023, an undercover ATF agent purchased a Glock pistol and two Glock switches from Smith in St. Louis. On December 11, Smith sold another pistol to the agent and introduced him to his mother, Tamika Patterson, who offered to sell him methamphetamine.
On December 13, the agent and Patterson met with Kevin Burrow, Patterson’s source of methamphetamine, and the agent purchased 55.5 grams of the drug. Smith also sold the agent a stolen pistol.
Smith claimed that he and Delance Bland Jr. were the main dealers of MCDs in St. Louis, and that they ordered them 10 at a time from China. The agent then purchased a total of 35 MCDs in a series of transactions.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on May 15 and faces up to 10 years in prison for the machine gun charge, up to 5 years for the unlawful dealing of a firearm charge, and up to 20 years for aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence in communities. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul D’Agrosa prosecuting.
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Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons|Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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