'Pure greed at its core': Macomb County man convicted of importing Glock switches from Russia
Boston, MA - September 28: A machine gun conversion device for a Glock hand gun was in custody of the ATF Boston Bureau. The device can convert the Glock into a machine gun after the "switch" is installed. It can be made with a 3-d printer. (Photo by
MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - A Macomb County firearms dealer who imported devices from Russia to convert semi-automatic guns to automatic weapons several years ago was recently convicted, the Department of Justice announced Thursday.
A jury convicted Chase Farmer, 26, of St. Clair Shores, for illegally importing, possessing, and transferring machine guns, as well as failing to keep proper records.
The backstory:
In 2020, Farmer obtained a federal firearms license for his Clinton Township-based business, Shall Not Be Infringed LLC. This license did not allow him to import firearms, but he still did so.
According to the DOJ, from 2020 to 2021, Farmer ordered Glock switches and drop-in auto sears, devices that both convert semiautomatic guns into machine guns, from a Russian website. The DOJ said Farmer used a fake name and paid for the devices with Rubles in an attempt to avoid being caught.
After learning that Farmer had imported 30 auto sears, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives searched his home in 2022. During that search, they only found two sears. The DOJ said Farmer could not account for the other 28.
A jury returned a guilty verdict on all charges after deliberating for about an hour.
What they're saying:
United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. said the unaccounted conversion devices could have landed in the hands of criminals and pose a danger to the public.
"Machine gun conversion devices gravely endanger our community by turning semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic machine guns. Chase Farmer sought out the ability to deal and manufacture firearms, but he flagrantly ignored his responsibility to follow the law," he said. "Farmer is responsible for putting 28 machine gun conversion devices on the street and potentially in the hands of criminals."
ATF Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge James Deir echoed Gorgon's concerns, saying that Farmer put greed over the safety of others.
"This wasn’t negligence – it was pure greed at its core," he said. "Chase Farmer abused the trust the government placed in him as a federal firearms licensee to nefariously acquire and distribute illegal conversion devices, using fake identities and foreign currency to avoid detection by law enforcement. This is what illegal firearms trafficking looks like: An individual putting personal greed before our community’s safety.
What's next:
Farmer is expected to be sentenced over the summer.
He faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Source: Information from a DOJ press release and previous FOX 2 stories were used in this report.