A Rockwall resident has been charged with unlawfully possessing an unregistered firearm after allegedly importing Glock switches from China.
U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton announced the charge in a press release.
Joshua Javier Menjivar, 20, was charged via a criminal complaint on Friday and made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renée Harris Toliver on Wednesday.
“This defendant allegedly imported machinegun conversion devices from China and installed at least one of them in an untraceable ghost gun,” said Simonton.
“Whether manufactured abroad or printed here at home, switches are capable of firing a stunning amount of ammunition in seconds and are highly erratic – making them highly dangerous weapons. We cannot and will not allow these lethal devices to proliferate in north Texas.”
According to the complaint, Customs and Border Protection agents intercepted a suspicious package on May 16, addressed to Menjivar’s home.
The parcel allegedly contained four machine gun conversion devices, known as switches.
Further investigation revealed that from May 2023 to May 2024, approximately 35 suspicious packages were allegedly delivered to Menjivar’s address.
These shipments, at least one of which was allegedly sent by a known international firearms supplier, were listed as various items such as household tools, protective gloves, glass cups, hats, and clothing, and were addressed to fictitious individuals.
On June 10, ATF agents collected trash from a bin outside Menjivar’s home. Inside, they allegedly found a non-value gold metal commemorative bitcoin, an item often used to conceal switches by confusing x-ray machines, and packaging consistent with illicit firearms shipments.
Agents executed a search warrant on Menjivar’s residence on June 20, allegedly discovering a privately made firearm, known as a “ghost gun,” equipped with a switch.
Agents also found five additional switches, 72 rounds of assorted ammunition, two commemorative bitcoins, and various firearm accessories.
During an interview, Menjivar allegedly claimed ownership of the illegal items found in the residence and confirmed his knowledge of how the switches worked.
“As this arrest proves, we weren’t joking a few weeks ago when we told you that we were coming for you. The possession or importation of machine gun conversion devices will eventually lead to a visit by ATF or any of our law enforcement partners,” said ATF Dallas Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Boshek.
“I commend US Attorney Simonton and her team for their dedication to protecting the people of North Texas by aggressively prosecuting these cases. Further, I thank our partners at CBP who work tirelessly to keep Americans safe, a lot of times going unnoticed.”