A Maplewood, Missouri resident has pleaded guilty to selling machine gun conversion devices to an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Tanario Darden, 23, admitted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two felony charges: transporting prohibited weapons without a license and transferring machine guns. According to authorities, Darden used his Instagram account to advertise the sale of machine gun conversion devices (MCDs), also known as switches or auto sears. These devices convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons and are classified as machine guns under federal law.
The ATF became aware of Darden’s activities through his Instagram account in the spring of 2024. An undercover agent then contacted him and arranged a purchase. On April 29, 2024, an intermediary delivered two MCDs on Darden’s behalf; another individual delivered seven more on May 29, 2024.
Darden faces sentencing on April 15. The charge for transporting prohibited weapons carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, while the charge for transferring machine guns carries up to ten years.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is handling the prosecution.
