A federal jury in Houston convicted Tyler John Jordan, 27, of possession of a machine gun on Mar. 26 following a three-day trial related to a deadly shooting at a McDonald's restaurant in Katy.
The case drew attention due to the use of a Glock pistol modified with a machinegun conversion device during an altercation that resulted in the death of an innocent bystander. The prosecution said that Jordan and others entered the North Fry Road McDonald's on March 16, 2025, intending to start a fight. Multiple shots were fired into the crowded lobby, leading to the fatality.
Evidence presented included video from Jordan’s phone showing him holding the weapon about five hours before it was used. Law enforcement officers testified that Jordan had lied several times during their investigation and described him as being obsessed with guns. Testimony also indicated he had previously admitted knowing he possessed a machine gun.
The defense argued that Jordan did not know about the conversion device and claimed his confession was false. However, jurors rejected this claim after deliberating for about three hours and found him guilty as charged. U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett set sentencing for June 25; Jordan faces up to ten years in federal prison and up to $250,000 in fines.
Jordan remains in custody awaiting sentencing. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office and FBI led the investigation with help from other agencies.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas has included notable figures such as Alamdar Hamdani and Ryan Patrick among its former leaders, according to the official history page. Its offices are located throughout Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen and Brownsville as described on its official website. The office is part of the U.S. Department of Justice under supervision of the Attorney General according to its official website, employs more than 200 attorneys covering over nine million people across 43 counties as detailed online, focuses on prosecuting federal crimes and handling civil cases for government interests according to its official website, and has seen leadership changes including Alamdar Hamdani serving from 2022-2025 as noted online.
