U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary | U.S. Department of Justice
A Columbus man has admitted guilt in a case involving the trafficking of firearms, including machine guns. Matthew Azor, aged 19, entered a guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Clay Land on December 17. The charges stem from an investigation under Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Azor could face up to 15 years in prison, followed by at least three years of supervised release and a fine that could reach $250,000. Sentencing will be determined by the court as there is no parole in the federal system.
“Matthew Azor illegally sold machine guns and ghost guns on social media, making the deadliest of weapons readily available to dangerous individuals,” stated U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. He emphasized that prosecutions against those responsible for gun violence remain a priority for his office and law enforcement partners.
ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka commented on the risks posed by illegal firearm trafficking: “The illegal trafficking of machine guns and ghost guns poses an unacceptable threat to the safety of our neighborhoods.” He affirmed ATF's commitment to preventing dangerous weapons from reaching criminals.
Columbus Police Chief Stoney Mathis highlighted the threat posed by such firearms: “Illegal firearms, especially machine guns and ghost guns, are a direct threat to public safety.” He assured continued collaboration with federal partners to remove these weapons from streets.
Court documents reveal that on January 18, Columbus Police Department’s Gang Unit investigators contacted Azor after seeing advertisements for Glock switches and machine gun conversion devices on social media. An undercover agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) arranged purchases with Azor for various firearms advertised as machine guns.
On January 26, Azor confirmed he had an AR pistol and a Glock functioning as machine guns available for sale. An undercover agent met with him in Columbus to buy these items for $1,100. Subsequent examinations revealed one firearm was fully automatic while another was semi-automatic.
Later transactions involved additional purchases where ATF agents found discrepancies between what was claimed and what was sold regarding automatic capabilities.
These actions are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aiming to reduce violent crime through cooperation among law enforcement agencies at different levels. The Department of Justice reinforced this initiative with a strategy launched on May 26, 2021.
The investigation involved both the Columbus Police Department’s Gang Unit and ATF agents. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Williams is handling prosecution duties for this case.
