Oklahoma City man sentenced to federal prison for possessing machinegun conversion device (DOJ)

OKLAHOMA CITY - XZHAVIER LEE WALTON, 21, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 18 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of a machinegun, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

According to public records, on February 19, 2026, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department stopped a vehicle as part of an investigation into a robbery that had occurred earlier that day. During the traffic stop, officers detected the odor of marijuana and detained all occupants, including Walton, who was seated in the rear passenger area behind the driver's seat. Underneath the driver's seat, directly in front of Walton, officers recovered a handgun fitted with a machinegun conversion device (MCD), commonly known as a "switch." When installed, MCDs convert semiautomatic weapons into fully automatic machineguns, and possession of MCDs violates federal law. Through their investigation, law enforcement determined that the handgun belonged to Walton.

On March 3, 2026, a federal Grand Jury charged Walton with unlawful possession of a machinegun. Walton pleaded guilty on July 15, 2026, and admitted he knowingly possessed a handgun modified with an MCD.

At a sentencing hearing on October 21, 2026, U.S. District Judge Charles Goodwin sentenced Walton to serve 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Nichols, Jr., prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative to reduce violent crime through coordinated federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partnerships. PSN is a key component of Operation Take Back America (OTBA), the Department's nationwide effort to combat violent crime and other threats to public safety. This case is also part of "Project Switch Off," the Western District of Oklahoma's implementation of OTBA. "Project Switch Off" targets illegal machinegun conversion devices to address the significant danger these illegal devices present and to remove them from our streets.

Reference is made to public filings for additional information.