Three Twin Cities men have been sentenced to federal prison for operating a social media-based machine gun distribution ring, United States Attorney Andrew Luger announced.
According to court documents, in March 2023, law enforcement learned of a Snapchat group called “BLICCS&STICCS3.” Members Rafael Carter Wesley, 19, Kyrees Darius Johnson, 22, and Avont Akira Drayton, 21, used the group to facilitate the trafficking of machine guns, firearms, and controlled substances in the Twin Cities and outlying areas.
Law enforcement obtained screenshots and videos of several individuals in the group selling, promoting, and operating machine gun conversion devices (MCDs, commonly referred to as “switches” or “auto sears”) that convert a semi-automatic firearm—either a pistol or a rifle—into a fully-automatic machine gun. These devices are classified as machine guns and are regulated under the National Firearms Act (NFA).
According to court documents, on March 20, 2023, an undercover law enforcement officer began monitoring the group. The undercover officer posted a picture of a prop firearm to the BLICCS&STICCS3 group. Shortly thereafter, Wesley reached out to the undercover officer and asked if he wanted to trade the firearm for what is commonly referred to as a Glock “switch” or a “button.” On or about March 26, 2023, the undercover officer continued conversations with Wesley on Snapchat about potentially purchasing Glock “switches.” Wesley indicated “switches” would cost $700 for two or $900 for three. The undercover officer agreed to purchase three switches for $900 and indicated he would pay an extra $100 if Wesley drove up to St. Cloud to deliver the switches. On March 27, 2023, Wesley met the undercover officer in St. Cloud and sold him three switches for $1,000.
On April 4, 2023, a second transaction was arranged through Wesley with a St. Paul meeting location. Johnson also arrived at the transaction with three switches, which Johnson and Wesley sold to the undercover officer for $900.
At the time, Johnson had four prior felony convictions, which rendered him prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition. During the investigation, Johnson was observed by law enforcement posting images of large quantities of guns and MCDs to the Snapchat group and offering them for sale. Johnson also posted images and messages that showed him to be trafficking in controlled substances, including blue fentanyl pills.
On April 13, 2023, undercover officers met with Wesley in Minneapolis to purchase an unserialized Glock 17 for $700. Following the transaction, the undercover officers asked Wesley to install the switch previously purchased from Wesley onto the Glock 17. Wesley agreed and installed the switch.
That same day, Wesley separately coordinated a meeting during which undercover officers met with Drayton, another member of the BLICCS&STICCS3 Snapchat group, to purchase a 3D-printed drop-in MCD for an AR-style rifle for $550. During the transaction, Drayton showed the undercover officers a video on his phone of Drayton shooting a firearm with a drop-in MCD inserted. Drayton commented to the undercover officers that the drop-in made the firearm shoot “way too [expletive] fast.” On May 11, 2023, an undercover officer directly arranged to meet with Drayton at a location in Eagan to purchase two drop-in MCDs for $800. However, when Drayton arrived at the meeting location, he stated that he only had one MCD and sold it to the undercover officer for $400. On June 9, 2023, undercover officers again met with Drayton and purchased a Glock pistol and a “switch” for $1,300.
According to court documents, between March and June 2023, undercover law enforcement officers conducted approximately six controlled buys with multiple members of the BLICCS&STICCS3 group.
All three defendants pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of machine guns. Johnson was sentenced last week in U.S. District Court by Judge Donovan W. Frank to 95 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On July 10, 2024, Wesley was sentenced to 14 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On April 23, 2024, Drayton was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Federal inmates must serve a minimum of 85% of their sentence incarcerated, unlike state sentencing which only requires inmates to serve two-thirds or less incarcerated before being eligible for release.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force, the St. Paul Police Department, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Dakota County Drug Task Force.
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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
