Man caught with ‘switch’ machine gun conversion device in Lubbock

LUBBOCK, Texas — Elias Vega, 41, was indicted by the federal court in Lubbock and accused of possession of a machine gun, according to court records obtained by EverythingLubbock.com on Monday.

Vega was arrested in the 5100 block of the Marsha Sharp Freeway access road back in January, online jail records showed. According to federal court documents, Vega, a convicted felon, was caught with a machinegun on January 21. Federal court records said he was in possession of a conversion device commonly known as a “switch.”

According to the United States Department of Justice, switches are mechanisms described as being similar in appearance as a “Lego or K’nex block” and can be printed on an available 3D printer.

The USDOJ previously explained, “They generally slot into the butt of a gun and allow the shooter to fire ‘full auto,’ unloading dozens of rounds with a single pull of the trigger.”

Vega remained in federal custody as of Monday.

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