INDIANAPOLIS — They’re the size of a bottle cap and cheaper than a coffee maker to make.
But these devices, commonly called Glock switches, carry a deadly purpose and continue to exacerbate scenes of Indianapolis violence. In the past year, their presence on the streets has skyrocketed.
Last year, Marion County recorded a 263% increase in the number of people charged with having Glock switches attached to their handguns. The illegal devices allow a semiautomatic pistol to spray 31 rounds in 2.1 seconds, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“It’s been a significant increase,” said Marion County’s top prosecutor, Ryan Mears.
The spike in charges coincides with an Indiana law passed last year that cleared the way for local law enforcement to identify and charge the accused with possessing machine guns – generally prohibited in the state.
Mears, however, noted the astronomical surge in cases is also because of the prevalence of the devices on the streets – particularly among youth.
Among the 111 people charged last year with fastening a Glock switch to their firearm, more than a quarter were 18 years or younger. Notably, Mears said, their cases were waived to adult court because of an aggravating circumstance, most commonly for having a device on school property. Minors simply possessing a Glock switch does not automatically bring them to adult court.
Another 18 youths, some as young as 15, remain in the juvenile court system in connection with Glock switch possession allegations.
“The reality is, this is a young person's tool,” Mears said.
In March, police arrested a 17-year-old boy from Greenfield on allegations he was selling the accessories. Another teen, who was 16 years old at the time of his arrest, is pending trial in Indianapolis in a 2021 triple homicide that court documents state stemmed from a sale of Glock switches. A 16-year-old boy was arrested this week after police said they found firearms and a switch in his backpack.
The illegal devices are also showing up at scenes of police shootings. A 20-year-old was arrested in May after police said he was carrying a machine gun conversion device while officers investigated a carjacking that led to the officers fatally shooting the suspect.
The penalty for having a Glock switch attached to a handgun is 1-6 years behind bars, though it's up to a judge whether a person will serve time in prison for the offense.
Glock switch sales are prevalent on social media apps such as Instagram and Snapchat to reach the desired demographic. Tutorials on how to attach them are easily accessible on YouTube, Mears said.
But recently, as people become familiar with the accessories, more of the illegal devices are being created directly in homes, in a process that can take less than 20 minutes, and sold in droves. Selling can also be a lucrative business, with devices selling between $50-$100.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Indianapolis said targeting the traffickers and manufacturers of machine gun accessories is where the agency is focusing the bulk of its efforts.
In January, a Franklin man was sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to using a 3D printer to produce 27 switches. In his arrest report, agents wrote that he attempted to sell them two Glock switch devices for $50. Another Central Indiana man was sentenced last year to seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to making switches the same way.
The most egregious violations of federal machine gun laws, federal officials noted, carry life sentences.
"It is alarming that more and more fully automatic firearms and machine gun conversion devices are being encountered in our communities, especially in the hands of juveniles," said Zachary Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana.
Contact IndyStar reporter Sarah Nelson at sarah.nelson@indystar.com
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