Just saw this on my local news here in Jacksonville. He is f.... ed.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-m...n-conversion-devices

Yep. Apparently he thought he was being sneaky by advertising them as "pen holders" and "bottle openers".

They're direct copies of the old Lightning Link.

Reading the article, he sold a piece of metal with an outline etched on the surface. An ATF agent bought the piece of metal, cut it up along the outline, and put the reuslt in an AR-15. Seems clear to me that the ATF agent created the part and converted the rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
Reading the article, he sold a piece of metal with an outline etched on the surface. An ATF agent bought the piece of metal, cut it up along the outline, and put the reuslt in an AR-15. Seems clear to me that the ATF agent created the part and converted the rifle.

We could take that stance all day. The agent will not be charged for doing his or her job. All a lawyer has to do is prove intent. Why would you make this item if not to use it for exactly what the agent did. He may have had the best of intentions, but a terrible item to use for your business

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
Reading the article, he sold a piece of metal with an outline etched on the surface. An ATF agent bought the piece of metal, cut it up along the outline, and put the reuslt in an AR-15. Seems clear to me that the ATF agent created the part and converted the rifle.

This is my thought too. As I recall, you and/or I can go online and find the drawings for the auto sears, do the transfer onto metal and poof, have what he was selling.

With that caveat though, I also found just having the parts in your possession can result in felony charges.

So he sold flat sheet of metal with an etching? I wonder if he wouldn’t have gotten in trouble if it was in crayon instead.

Sooo, we're talking 80% Auto Sears...More or Less? Or are we talking Machine Gun 'Art' here?

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:
Sooo, we're talking 80% Auto Sears...More or Less? Or are we talking Machine Gun 'Art' here?

No. We're talking about 20% sears.

He's going to be seared all right.

quote:

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence and enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes. For more information on Project Guardian visit www.justice.gov/projectguardian.

About time! I was getting really sick from all of these home-converted machineguns being used in crime on the daily!

A second arrest was recently made in this case, this time involving the host of a semi-popular Youtube gun channel.

The indictment states that Matt Hoover - who runs the "CRS Firearms" Youtube Channel - had posted several YouTube videos in late 2020 and early 2021 promoting the AutoKeyCard, including one with instructions on how to cut out the lightning link from the AutoKeyCard and install it in an AR15. In exchange for these videos, the owner of the AutoKeyCards company compensated Hoover with thousands of dollars in luxury purses, high-end video equipment, and cash.

A couple days ago, Hoover was arrested and charged with 7 counts relating to his part in the conspiracy to promote, distribute, and sell these AutoKeyCard lightning link conversions.

Kris Ervin, the first one arrested back in March as discussed in the OP, is facing 17 total charges.

Here's the full grand jury indictment on both Hoover and Ervin: https://storage.courtlistener....flmd.398039.57.0.pdf

Hmmm “using a commonly available tool” seems vague. I think the act of actually tooling out the full auto sear is the issue here.

I could own AR pistols and AR rifles…. I could also own a short barrel for one of my AR pistols…. It only becomes illegal if I actually assemble that rifle with the short barrel in it… I understand full auto sears are different, but is owning the piece of metal with some etching on it illegal? Or is the act of actually cutting it out?

Kinda seems like this would be like owning a blueprint… is the blueprint itself illegal? Or is the act of making the blueprint reality illegal?

I’m not a lawyer and I tend to not walk Grey lines so it doesn’t effect me either way, but seems like anybody COULD make an auto sear with some commonly found household tools if they wanted to do so. I’m sure most of us have seen the coat hanger machine gun…

If I were on that jury….”not guilty”.

Dear lord. The last page of that with

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA VS : Their names

Is freaking horrifying.

They were found guilty. I learned the judge denied them the ability to present a 1st or 2nd Amendment defense.

I think 1st Amendment would have been their strongest defense.

These people are all idiots. Anybody with any time around this industry can see the writing on the wall for something like this.

While I disagree with the outcome of this case, it falls under play stupid games win stupid prizes.

Good breakdown video.