Robert J. "Bob" Troester U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma
John Anthony Owen, a 24-year-old resident of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for the illegal possession of machineguns. This was announced by U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
Owen faced charges on June 3, 2024, following an investigation that led to his arrest. On April 4, 2024, officers from the Oklahoma City Police Department executed a search warrant at his residence. During this operation, two firearms were found that had been altered with machinegun conversion devices (MCDs). These devices convert semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic machineguns and their possession is prohibited under federal law.
On July 3, 2024, Owen entered a guilty plea and acknowledged he knowingly possessed two MCDs.
U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman presided over the sentencing hearing on January 30, 2025. Alongside the prison term, Owen will undergo three years of supervised release post-incarceration. The court highlighted the seriousness of the offense when delivering the sentence.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Oklahoma City Police Department conducted the investigation leading to Owen's conviction. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hoch prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. It also falls under "Project Switch Off," an initiative targeting illegal machinegun conversion devices within the Western District of Oklahoma as part of PSN efforts to enhance public safety by removing these dangerous items from circulation.
For further details about Project Safe Neighborhoods or "Project Switch Off," interested parties can visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
