Executive Summary
- Deshawn Mitchell Jr., 20, and Joshua Givens, 24, were arrested by the ATF in Sunbury, Ohio.
- The suspects allegedly attempted to purchase 250 machine gun conversion switches for $3,000 from an undercover agent.
- Charging documents indicate the transaction was the result of a months-long investigation initiated in September.
- Both men have been ordered detained in Franklin County Jail pending further federal court hearings.
Federal agents have arrested two Ohio men, Deshawn Mitchell Jr. and Joshua Givens, following an undercover operation in Sunbury targeting the distribution of illegal machine gun conversion devices. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) executed the arrests this week after a months-long investigation involving the attempted purchase of hundreds of “switches.”
According to charging documents filed in federal court, the investigation began in September when Givens allegedly contacted a cooperating source working with the ATF to purchase 250 conversion devices for $3,000. These devices, commonly known as switches or auto sears, are illegal components capable of modifying semi-automatic firearms to fire fully automatically.
Investigators stated that social media activity linked to Givens indicated his prior involvement in possessing and shipping these illegal devices. The transaction was reportedly delayed until December 17, when a meeting was arranged at a hotel along OH 73 East in Sunbury.
Court filings allege that Mitchell arrived at the designated location in place of Givens, who had reportedly paid him $500 to retrieve the contraband. During the exchange inside the undercover agent’s vehicle, the agent offered an additional 80 switches as a “complimentary” gesture for the delay since the initial September contact. Once Mitchell allegedly agreed to take possession of the devices, an ATF arrest team moved in to execute the arrest.
Both defendants appeared in federal court in Columbus on Friday. A federal judge ordered them detained pending a full detention hearing scheduled for the coming weeks. They are currently being held at the Franklin County Jail.
Federal Enforcement Strategy
The proliferation of machine gun conversion devices has become a priority for federal law enforcement, as these small components can transform standard handguns into indiscriminate weapons, posing significant risks to public safety and law enforcement officers. This operation highlights the ATF’s proactive strategy to intercept the supply chain of these devices before they reach street-level circulation. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
