Robert J. "Bob" Troester U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma
Emanuel Lopez, a 21-year-old resident of Edmond, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for transporting machineguns without a license. This announcement was made by Robert J. Troester, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.
In May and June 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in Los Angeles intercepted four packages from China addressed to Lopez's home in Edmond. These packages contained machinegun conversion devices (MCDs), often referred to as "switches," which were falsely labeled as "auto parts," "hardware accessories," and "decorative ornaments." The MCDs convert semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic machineguns, violating federal law.
Lopez was charged by a federal Grand Jury on July 2, 2024, with transporting machineguns without a license. He pleaded guilty on November 25, 2024, admitting he knowingly transported the illegal devices without the necessary license.
On March 5, 2025, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones sentenced Lopez to serve his prison term followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Jones emphasized the seriousness of the offense during sentencing.
The investigation involved several agencies including CBP, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), along with local police departments from Oklahoma City and Edmond. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew E. Davis prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aiming to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement and communities. It also falls under “Project Switch Off,” an initiative targeting illegal machinegun conversion devices in the Western District of Oklahoma.
For further details about PSN and “Project Switch Off,” information can be found at https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.
