An Albuquerque man, Micah Maestas, has pled guilty to federal charges related to firearm and drug trafficking. The case involves the possession and sale of machine gun conversion devices. According to court documents, on March 1, 2024, Maestas, aged 20, along with two accomplices, sold cocaine and a firearm equipped with a machine gun conversion device to an undercover officer.
On May 9, 2024, Maestas was involved in another transaction where he sold a rifle and offered additional firearms for sale. Despite the buyer claiming to be a felon, Maestas proceeded with the sale. A final incident occurred on July 3, 2024, when Maestas sold a firearm fitted with an "Invisible Switch" machine gun conversion device to an undercover officer. He admitted installing the device himself.
At sentencing, Maestas faces between five and 25 years in prison and up to life under supervised release. The U.S. Attorney's Office announced this development alongside Brendan Iber from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The ATF led the investigation with help from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Letitia Carroll Simms is handling prosecution.
Machine gun conversion devices are illegal as they transform semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons capable of continuous firing. The possession or sale of these devices without proper licensing is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and fines reaching $250,000.
These devices pose a significant threat to public safety. From 2018 to 2023, thousands have been recovered by ATF. Their use by violent street gangs is causing concern due to their potential for mass casualties during confrontations with law enforcement.
Law enforcement agencies emphasize the importance of public cooperation in combating this threat. Anyone with information about illegal firearms or conversion devices is urged to contact the ATF through their tip line or website.
Your tip could prevent these dangerous weapons from falling into wrong hands.