Anchorage man sentenced for illegally trafficking firearms, including 3D printed firearm and machinegun conversion devices

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - An Anchorage man was sentenced today to 4.75 years in prison for trafficking firearms and illegally possessing a machine gun.

According to court documents, starting in January 2025, Kendon Rowcroft-Ivy, 20, began communicating via text message with an individual to arrange the sale of firearms. On Jan. 31, 2025, Rowcroft-Ivy met with the individual and sold them two machine gun conversion devices for $1,000. On Feb. 4, 2025, Rowcroft-Ivy sold the same individual 10 other conversion devices and a pistol with a silencer. Two days later, Rowcroft-Ivy sold the individual a 3D printed machinegun with a conversion device and ammunition for $700.

Machine gun conversion devices, aka "switches", shoot automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single pull of the trigger. None of the firearms Rowcroft-Ivy sold to the individual were registered to him and the defendant never possessed a federal firearms license to deal firearms legally.

In total, Rowcroft-Ivy sold two firearms, 13 machinegun conversions devices ("MCDs"), and a silencer to two individuals over the course of 10 days for a total of $12,500.

In March 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Rowcroft-Ivy on three counts of trafficking in firearms, one count of unlicensed dealing in firearms, three counts of illegal possession of machine guns and one count of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Rowcroft-Ivy was placed on pretrial release with conditions that prohibited him from possessing firearms and controlled substances, including marijuana, but rearrested following a search of his residence and vehicle in September 2025.

Law enforcement learned that Rowcroft-Ivy was not living at the address he provided to pretrial services, and that he continued his criminal behavior while on pretrial release. Rowcroft-Ivy's social media accounts revealed he continued to possess firearms, and advertise firearms and marijuana for sale.

During a search of his residence and vehicle on Sept. 18, 2025, law enforcement found multiple firearms, ammunition, and distribution level quantities of marijuana.

On March 12, 2026, Rowcroft-Ivy pleaded guilty to three counts of trafficking in firearms and one count of illegal possession of a machine gun. At sentencing, the Court also ordered Rowcroft-Ivy to serve three years on supervised release upon completion of his prison sentence.

"The defendant sold over a dozen firearms, including machinegun conversions devices and a 3D printed firearm, putting the Anchorage community at significant risk, as 3D printed firearms are extremely dangerous, increasingly abundant and difficult to track," said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. "Multiple violations of his pretrial supervision and boasting posts on social media showcased Mr. Rowcroft-Ivy's complete disregard for the law and accountability of his crimes. The message is simple, if you traffic illegal firearms, switches and ghost guns, you face time in federal prison."

"The dangerousness of illegal machineguns and machinegun conversion devices cannot be overstated," said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Seattle Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. "By distributing these items in bulk quantities, Mr. Rowcroft-Ivy became a direct threat to public safety, putting both law enforcement officers and Alaskans at risk. There will be no refuge for those who traffic these illegal firearms, and we will leverage every available resource to bring them to justice."

The ATF Seattle Division investigated the case, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Field Division and Anchorage Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mac Caille Petursson prosecuted the case.

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