Honduran National Illegally in the United States Sentenced to Over 8 Years for Trafficking Firearms, Including a Machinegun, and Drugs (DOJ)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - A Honduran man illegally present in the United States was sentenced to prison yesterday for trafficking guns, including a firearm fitted with a machinegun conversion device known as a "switch," and drugs, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Sheriff Eddie Cathey of the Union County Sheriff's Office, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today's announcement.

Michael Naun Antunez Vasquez, 22, was sentenced to 101 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to trafficking in firearms, possession of a machinegun, transfer of a machinegun, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. After serving his prison sentence, Vasquez will be removed from the country and is forbidden from returning to the United States.

"Vasquez was in the country illegally and profited by putting dangerous guns on our streets-including a firearm converted into a machinegun," said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. "When someone traffics guns and drugs and utterly disregards our nation's laws and public safety, federal prison is the appropriate punishment."

"Firearms trafficking makes our communities less safe by putting guns in the hands of prohibited and possibly dangerous individuals," said Special Agent in Charge Jones. "ATF, along with all of our law enforcement partners, is committed to stopping the illegal exchange of firearms and making sure that those who threaten our communities are held accountable."

According to court documents, Vasquez was a Honduran national who was in the United States illegally. On July 9, 2024, Vasquez sold a Romarm/Cugir pistol with a 30-round magazine to an individual working with the ATF. Vasquez also told the individual that he was able to sell additional firearms, machinegun conversion devices, and controlled substances. On July 18, 2024, Vasquez met with an undercover ATF agent, who told Vasquez he was purchasing guns to resell in another state for profit. Vasquez sold the agent two firearms: a Glock Model 30, .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol with a 25-round magazine, and a Glock, Model 19, 9mm semiautomatic pistol. The Model 19 was assembled from different parts that were stolen.

Court documents show that on August 1, 2024, the ATF agent bought two more firearms from Vasquez. The first firearm was a Glock, Model 19, 9mm pistol that had been converted to a machinegun. The second firearm was a Glock, Model 48. During that meeting, Vasquez told the agent that he could also obtain pounds of methamphetamine. Vasquez agreed to sell the agent a machinegun, a Romarm/Cugir pistol, and a pound of methamphetamine.

According to court records, Vasquez was riding in the front passenger seat of a car on the way to meet with the undercover agent when the vehicle was stopped by Union County Sherriff's deputies. The deputies seized from the vehicle a machinegun conversion device, a Romarm/Cugir pistol, a Glock pistol, a Beretta pistol, a Palmetto State Armory pistol, several high-capacity magazines, ammunition, and approximately 28.7 grams of methamphetamine.

Vasquez will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

In making today's announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF and the Union County Sheriff's Office for their investigation of the case.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.