A Jackson resident, Johnny Ragsdale, has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for the illegal possession of a machinegun. The sentencing follows an incident where Ragsdale, 21, was found with an illegal machinegun after attempting to evade law enforcement during a traffic stop in Jackson. The pursuit ended when Ragsdale's vehicle collided with a train car on Mill Street. Authorities recovered a Glock pistol from the vehicle, which had a machinegun conversion device attached.
Ragsdale was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 21, 2024, and pled guilty on October 24, 2024. "The U.S. Attorney’s Office has seen an increase in cases involving illegal firearm conversion devices," noted Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents, these devices, often referred to as "switches" or "auto sears," can convert semi-automatic handguns into fully automatic weapons within seconds. This poses significant risks to public safety and law enforcement personnel. A report by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) highlighted a 570% increase in such devices being confiscated between 2017 and 2021.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF and Capitol Police Department, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber Jones prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration among law enforcement agencies and community organizations.
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