CINCINNATI — A Cincinnati man accused of trafficking illegal Machine Gun Conversion Devices to gang members was released on his own recognizance following a federal detention hearing Monday, as prosecutors warn the devices are fueling a violent crime.
Jhyaire Evans, 23, faces a federal charge alleging he sold Glock switches, which are small devices that convert semi-automatic handguns into automatic weapons, to fellow Piru Blood Gang members in Cincinnati's Evanston neighborhood.
A judge released Evans pending trial, citing his lack of a criminal record and a medical condition that has left him paralyzed, provided he meets certain pre-trial conditions.
The case is one of at least nine filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio in just the past three months, all involving young men between the ages of 18 and 23 charged with possessing or trafficking machine gun conversion devices, U.S. Attorney Dominick Gerace said.
"What concerns me most is the age of the individuals that are involved in possessing and trafficking these devices," Gerace said. "It concerns me greatly that we're seeing a lot of young men involved in the trafficking of these devices, the possession of these devices, and I think it's a big problem for us."
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Glock switches are roughly the size of a quarter but have an outsized impact. When attached to a handgun, the device defeats the weapon's semi-automatic function, allowing it to fire continuously with a single trigger pull. According to the ATF, with it equipped, guns can fire off 30 rounds in just two seconds.
Gerace said automatic weapons are extremely difficult to control, and many people who have the devices have little experience handling the firepower.
"All of a sudden it becomes an extremely deadly weapon that is difficult to control, and bullets can get sprayed all over the place," he said. "It's definitely something that we don't want to see in the hands of people, anybody, but people who are violent and using guns for violence."
Nationally, law enforcement saw a 314% increase in violent crime related to Glock switches in 2023 alone compared to the year before, according to Evan's criminal complaint.
Gerace said the devices are becoming more accessible with time. They can be 3D printed using plastic or are frequently imported from countries like China and Russia.
"They're out there, and people who want to get them seem to have ready access to them," Gerace said. "So our goal in this office is to cut off that supply."
The devices are showing up disproportionately in neighborhoods already struggling with gun violence, Gerace said.
"Those guns are being found in the communities where you see the gun violence, and those are the communities that are suffering from this," Gerace said. "We're talking about Evanston, we're talking about those communities that are already suffering from gun violence, and this just raises the level of violence."
The investigation into Evans began earlier this year with a tip from a confidential informant who said the 23-year-old was selling Glock switches. Investigators then looked at a public social media account linked to Evans.
"There were several images on social media corroborating what the confidential informant said," Gerace said.
Evidence found in the criminal complaint included an Instagram post showing Evans appearing to hold a Glock switch in a photo and another post investigators say shows Evans offering to sell the devices. Investigators executed a search warrant at Evans's home last week, where they recovered multiple Glock switches, firearms, firearm magazines, marijuana and other items.
Gerace said that social media has become an avenue for committing criminal activity as well as a tool for law enforcement over the course of investigations.
"It's amazing how much people post on social media regarding criminal activity," he said. "I think that's part of the culture right now, in particular with the gang culture. They want to show what they're doing and kind of brag about what they're doing."
Gerace said his office will charge anyone found possessing or trafficking the devices, regardless of age, gang affiliation or criminal history.
"We don't really care what your age is, we don't care what your criminal history is. If you are trafficking in these devices, selling these devices, or possess a gun with one of those devices, you will be charged by the feds," he said.
Gerace's office has prosecutors assigned specifically to handle machine gun conversion device cases as part of a broader violent crime initiative. The office has a violent crime coordinator, a Project Safe Neighborhoods assistant U.S. attorney and a special assistant U.S. attorney from the Attorney General's office whose sole focus is prosecuting these cases.
"We're here to make sure that those that are trafficking, those are selling them, are held accountable," Gerace said.
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