On February 5, 2025, Domonique McKee, a 24-year-old resident of Montgomery, Alabama, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for possessing a machinegun. Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced the sentencing. Following his imprisonment, McKee will undergo three years of supervised release as there is no parole available in the federal system.
The case stems from an incident on December 2, 2023, when a Montgomery police officer stopped a vehicle suspected of carrying illegal narcotics. The driver was identified as McKee. A search of the vehicle revealed a substance suspected to be methamphetamine along with three handguns and various rounds of ammunition. Among these firearms was one equipped with a machinegun conversion device. On September 25, 2024, McKee pleaded guilty in federal court to the charge of possessing a machinegun.
Acting United States Attorney Davidson emphasized the seriousness of such offenses: “When installed on a firearm, a machinegun conversion device, or ‘switch,’ allows a gun to function as a fully automatic weapon capable of firing a continuous spray of bullets with a single pull of the trigger,” he said. He further stated that possession of such devices is considered "a federal crime" and assured that his office would continue prioritizing their prosecution alongside law enforcement efforts to eliminate these devices from communities.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Montgomery Police Department with support from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant United States Attorney Justin L. Jones handled the prosecution.