Gregory Kielma • June 24, 2025
Switched Off: A Case Study on Minnesota’s Illegal Machine Gun Law
Switched Off: A Case Study on Minnesota’s Illegal Machine Gun Law
Support NRA-ILA Join Today
There’s been a lot of noise of late about auto sears or so-called “Glock switches” – devices to convert a semiautomatic firearm into an automatic weapon. New Mexico adopted a “weapon conversion device” ban in February, and in March, Alabama enacted a similar law to restrict possession of devices designed or intended to convert a pistol into a machine gun. New Jersey was also considering a bill to criminalize possession and sale of “machine gun conversion devices.”
Under federal law, the devices are already regulated in the same way as fully functional “machineguns,” and simple possession of a machinegun (including just the device) is, subject to limited exceptions, a federal felony punishable by up to ten years’ imprisonment. Criminals who possess or use an auto sear in the commission of any “crime of violence” or “drug trafficking crime” face enhanced penalties under federal law that include a minimum 30 years’ imprisonment.
The justification for this push to criminalize auto sears under state law tends to be that, regardless of the federal ban, there is a need to empower state and local law enforcement to go after the criminals who illegally possess or use these conversion devices.
In Minnesota, for instance, severe state law sanctions apply to the illegal use and possession of these devices. Minnesota law prohibits the ownership, possession, or operation of a machine gun, “trigger activator,” or “machine gun conversion kit,” where “machine gun conversion kit” includes “any part or combination of parts designed and intended for use in converting a weapon into a machine gun.” A violation is a very serious crime indeed, judging from the potential penalty: incarceration for up to 20 years, payment of a fine of up to $35,000, or both the fine and time.
Last year, Minnesota’s Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a state court lawsuit in Hennepin County against gunmaker Glock, Inc., a company which doesn’t manufacture, import, distribute or market auto sears, or provide information on how to install such aftermarket devices on its pistols. Ellison’s civil suit rests on the dubious claim the company makes and sells semi-automatic handguns “that Glock knows can easily be converted into illegal machine guns” using a so-called “Glock switch.” Yet in his press release on illegal machine guns and crime, Ellison stated that it “is critically important that we continue to hold individuals who commit crimes criminally accountable for their actions … Holding corporations civilly accountable is not a substitute for criminally prosecuting individuals who harm others.”
The strict sanctions in state law and the Attorney General’s unequivocal directive about holding persons criminally accountable make the recent apprehension and release of an individual allegedly in illegal possession of a machinegun conversion device all the more inexplicable.
On June 3, Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) officers executing a traffic stop encountered 18-year-old Amiir Mawlid Ali in a vehicle heading to the Edina High School graduation ceremony being held at the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis. According to the news report, Ali was known to be “associated with multiple recent gang-related shootings and was known to carry firearms,” and officers found a Glock handgun under his seat. The gun was “equipped with a loaded 33-round extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device.” Officers were aware that an unrelated shooting during a graduation ceremony at the same university campus happened a few days before.
That shooting, at the May 30 Wayzata High School graduation ceremony, left two people injured, including a man shot in the head. Police used surveillance video to identify the alleged shooter and locate the suspect’s Glock handgun, which was equipped with a machinegun conversion device. The suspect was apprehended and reportedly faces state law charges of first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and possessing/operating a machine gun.
A news report provides the timeline following Ali’s apprehension by the MPD. After being booked into Hennepin County Jail on a weapons charge on June 3, he was set free on June 5, as soon as his 36-hour hold expired. (A search of the Online Hennepin County Jail Roster confirms Ali was held without bail and released on June 5 at 4:40 PM.) The next day, June 6, police responded to a shooting at another high school graduation ceremony, at or near Burnsville High School, MN, in which multiple shots were fired but no one was injured. Ali was “among four people arrested following shots fired at the Burnsville graduation,” although the extent of his involvement is unclear. A news source includes an additional troubling allegation, citing court documents, that “in recorded jail calls following his arrest, Ali said he would need a ‘button’ – slang for a machine gun conversion device – upon his release.”
In hindsight, the foregoing make the decision of the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office to release Ali from custody on June 5, apparently without charges, even more problematic, especially considering the messaging from the state’s top law enforcement officer about the “critical” importance of enforcing illegal machine gun laws. A spokesperson for the County Attorney’s Office explained that “ our office deferred the case against Mr. Ali for additional investigation because the evidence, as submitted, didn’t include necessary forensic testing results to overcome likely defenses. We requested it be resubmitted for charging consideration when the testing was complete.”
The case, unfortunately, isn’t an outlier. One of our previous alerts described a 2022 case involving alleged gang-member brothers Cortez and Quintez, found in possession of firearms that had been illegally modified using auto sears. Prosecuted under state law, both received a probation-only sentence and released. As a newspaper report explains more fully:
The twins were charged in Hennepin County in January 2022 with illegally possessing firearms modified with switches after they were caught with the guns as they left a funeral for another gang member. They pleaded guilty that spring and were sentenced to probation. But four days after Cortez’s sentence — and a week before Quantez was due back in court for his own sentencing — the brothers were pulled over by Maple Grove police. Officers found Cortez with an unmarked Polymer80 pistol, or ghost gun, with a loaded, high-capacity magazine. Quantez Ward had a rifle in a backpack. Months later, law enforcement searched their home and found other firearms, including another ghost gun outfitted with a switch.
Federal law enforcement had no similar inhibitions, and the brothers have since been federally prosecuted and convicted for illegal possession of firearms/ammunition. (One of the brothers released a rap album from jail while awaiting sentencing, which included a track called “On Fully” that “celebrates converting semiautomatic pistols into machine guns.”).
Amiir Mawlid Ali also faces federal prosecution. A June 11 press release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office cites “an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives and Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the University of Minnesota Police Department” leading to federal charges for unlawful possession of a machinegun being brought against Ali and against 20-year-old Hamza Abdirashiid Said, the suspect in the May 30 Wayzata High School graduation shooting. Both were detained in federal custody pending detention hearings.
Of course, arrests and charges, whether state or federal, are merely an allegation of criminal conduct and not evidence of guilt; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
While these cases continue to be dealt with by law enforcement and the courts, a few things are already apparent.
There are plenty of existing laws with severe criminal sanctions available to be deployed against those possessing or using illegal machineguns or conversion devices. Not only is a machinegun conversion device illegal to possess under state law and federal law, a University of Minnesota policy on weapons on campus bans visitors and others from possessing or carrying firearms on University property. None of these seemed to have any deterrent effect. Second, even an infinite number of laws on books are worthless unless they are used to prosecute, fully, the persons with illegal machine guns and illegal conversion devices. Finally, instead of seeking to switch the responsibility and liability for crime from the third-party offenders onto the gunmaker Glock, Inc. (already strictly regulated under law), the more legally and practically sound approach is to use existing laws against criminals who violate the law and harm others.
About Edward Bailey: Why We Should Support Edward Bailey for Manatee County Commissioner, District 2
Why We Should Support Edward Bailey for Manatee County Commissioner, District 2
John Dunn: A Grassroots Candidate Enters the Manatee County Commission Race
DOJ Announces Rulemaking Package Aimed At Protecting Second Amendment Freedoms
Why Every Home Should Have a Firearm for Personal Protection
3d Printed Firearms What are They and Are they Legal? Let's take a look
Being Prepared for the 2026 Hurricane Season By Gregory Kielma, Tactical K Training & Firearms The 2026 Hurricane Season is shaping up to be another year where preparation isn’t optional it’s essential. Florida has seen record heat, rising insurance pressures, rapid population growth, and increasingly unpredictable storm behavior. None of that is meant to create fear. It’s meant to reinforce a simple truth: preparedness gives you control, confidence, and options when the weather turns. Whether you’re protecting a home, a business, or a family, the goal is the same build layers of readiness before the first storm forms. Start With Awareness and a Plan Storms don’t give you time to “figure it out later.” Your plan should be written, practiced, and known by everyone in the household or workplace. Key elements of a solid plan: Where will you go if evacuation becomes necessary Multiple routes out of your area A communication plan if cell networks fail A designated out‑of‑state contact A plan for pets, elderly family members, and anyone with medical needs For businesses, include: Who secures the building Who handles digital backups Who communicates closures and reopening A plan removes panic. It replaces it with action. Strengthen Your Home or Business Before the First Storm Florida structures take a beating every year. Small improvements now prevent major losses later. Exterior protection: Inspect your roof for loose shingles or soft spots Clear gutters and drainage paths Trim trees and remove dead limbs Install or test shutters Reinforce garage doors—one of the most common failure points Interior protection: Surge protection for critical electronics Elevate valuables and important documents Know how to shut off water, power, and gas If you own a business, walk your property as if you were a storm: What can break? What can blow away? What can flood? Fix those points now. Build a Realistic, Usable Supply Kit For Your Home or Business A hurricane kit isn’t about stockpiling, it’s about independence. After a major storm, help may take hours or days to reach your area. For homes and families: Water: 1 gallon per person per day (minimum 3–7 days) Non‑perishable food Medications and medical supplies Flashlights, headlamps, and batteries Battery bank for phones First aid kit Copies of important documents Cash in small bills Tools, gloves, tarps, duct tape For businesses: Backup power for essential systems Printed employee contact lists Hard copies of insurance documents A plan for securing inventory and equipment Preparedness isn’t about fear it’s about not being dependent on luck. Protect Your Digital Life In 2026, digital readiness is just as important as physical readiness. Back up important files to the cloud and an external drive Photograph your home, business, and valuables for insurance Store digital copies of IDs, insurance policies, and receipts Keep chargers, power banks, and a small solar panel if possible When the power goes out, your digital preparation keeps you moving. Understand Post‑Storm Safety Most injuries happen after the storm, not during it. Be cautious with: Downed power lines Flooded roads Carbon monoxide from generators Unstable structures Contaminated water If you evacuated, don’t rush home. Wait for official clearance. Your safety comes first. Mindset: Prepared, Not Paranoid Preparedness is a discipline, not a reaction. It’s the same mindset we teach in every Tactical K class awareness, planning, and responsible action. A hurricane is a natural event. Your response is a choice. When you prepare early, you protect: Your family Your property Your business Your peace of mind And you set an example for your community. Kielma’s Parting Shot The 2026 Hurricane Season will bring challenges, just like every season. But Floridians are resilient, and preparation is part of our way of life. Start now. Strengthen your home, your business, and your plan. Build your layers of safety before the first storm forms. If you need help building a plan, creating a checklist, or preparing your family or business, Tactical K Training is here to support you with practical, real‑world guidance.
Why You Should Never Travel Through High Water
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 87 Months in Trafficking Nine Firearms, Including to Buyer Who Said He Was ‘At War’ Thursday, April 30, 2026 U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia WASHINGTON - Brandon Smith, 34, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 87 months in prison for conspiring to traffic at least nine firearms to a prohibited buyer over the course of six months, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “Brandon Smith was already on supervised probation for a violent felony when he chose to traffic firearms, and he continued even after being told the buyer intended to use them for violence,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Over the course of six months, he arranged the sale of at least nine guns—including one with an obliterated serial number—to a prohibited individual. This was not a momentary lapse in judgment, but a sustained and deliberate effort to arm someone who could not legally possess firearms. My office remains committed to holding accountable those who endanger our communities by trafficking illegal guns.” On Jan. 9, 2026, Smith pleaded guilty before Judge Howell to conspiracy to commit trafficking in firearms. In addition to the 87-month prison term, Judge Howell ordered Smith to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 108-month prison term. According to court papers, beginning in November 2023, ATF opened an investigation after a confidential source reported that Smith, then on supervised probation for a violent felony, was actively advertising firearms for sale by texting photographs of guns to prospective buyers, including individuals with prior felony convictions. During the next six months, Smith sold or arranged the sale of nine firearms to a buyer on six separate occasions. During the transactions, Smith sold his own personal carry firearm on multiple occasions when a supplier failed to deliver, then purchased a replacement for himself afterward. In early January 2024, as Smith and the buyer discussed an upcoming transaction, the buyer told Smith he needed the firearms because he was “at war” after his cousin had been killed. Smith proceeded with the sale. The buyer had also told Smith he was serving a criminal justice sentence at the time of the transactions. Smith acknowledged that he, too, was “on papers.” Smith arranged a total of six transactions from Nov. 30, 2023, through May 30, 2024, resulting in the sale of nine firearms. At least one of the firearms had its serial number obliterated. On Oct. 26, 2024, MPD officers conducted a traffic stop on the 1600 block of 16th Street SE and found Smith in the front passenger seat of a parked vehicle. Officers observed open containers of alcohol and discovered a satchel at his feet. Inside the satchel, in plain view, was a loaded Glock Model 19X 9mm handgun with a round in the chamber and 16 additional rounds in the magazine. The bag also contained a bank card and government-issued identification in Smith’s name. Smith has prior convictions for Simple Assault (2011), Attempted Robbery (2013), and Robbery and Possession of a Firearm during a Crime of Violence (2016), for which he was sentenced to five years in prison. He was serving a term of supervised probation from the 2016 conviction at the time of the firearms trafficking conspiracy. This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Office, and the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan M. Horan. Convicted Felon Sentenced to 87 Months in Trafficking
