Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Two Cincinnati Men Plead Guilty to Illegally Possessing Machinegun Conversion Devices
CINCINNATI — Two Cincinnati men pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in separate cases to possessing Glock switches.
Glock switches are devices that convert firearms to machineguns: fully automatic weapons that fire more than one shot without reloading the trigger.
Ronnell Aaron Clay, 21, pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing a machinegun. Taviyon Broussard, 20, pleaded guilty on Jan. 5 to the same crime.
According to court documents, on Aug. 22, 2023, Clay drove over double yellow lines and was stopped by Cincinnati police officers. Officers located a Glock pistol with a missing backplate and crack cocaine in the vehicle. In a subsequent search of the vehicle, another officer located a gold Glock switch.
Clay had been using his Instagram account to advertise Glock switches for sale in the Cincinnati area.
Broussard’s court documents detail that he illegally possessed a modified firearm on Nov. 8, 2022. Broussard was using a 3D-printed Glock conversion device.
Illegally possessing a fully automatic weapon is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Congress sets maximum statutory sentences and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a later hearing.
Kenneth L. Parker, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Angie Salazar, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa A. Theetge announced the guilty pleas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is representing the United States in these cases, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley N. Brucato represented the U.S. in the case against Broussard.
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