19-year-old Dallas gang member arrested in Glock switch crackdown
DALLAS - A Dallas gang member is facing federal charges for allegedly possessing an illegal device that can turn a pistol into a fully automatic weapon.
According to U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton, 19-year-old Johnny Bates was taken into custody on Nov. 7 for an incident that happened last year.
Bates, who is a known member of the 415 East Dallas Posse gang, was allegedly caught on video in December of 2023 firing a gun that appeared to be fully automatic.
Police tried to arrest him at that time. He got away but dropped a Glock pistol equipped with an illegal machine gun conversion device, more commonly known as a "switch."
In October, police located Bates at an apartment complex in Oak Cliff and arrested him on an outstanding warrant from the December 2023 incident.
They found another pistol with a gold Glock switch and an extended magazine in his backpack, according to federal prosecutors.
During a detention hearing on Friday, officers testified about a number of photos on Bates’ social media accounts showing additional switches.
A judge decided he should be detained until he stands trial for the possession of a machine gun.
He faces up to 10 years in federal prison if convicted.
'Operation Texas Kill Switch': Statewide effort to stop spread of machine gun conversion devices
A piece of plastic the size of a LEGO can turn a legal pistol into a machine gun. Federal officials say the so-called "switches" are becoming more common on the streets of Texas.
Bates’ arrest was part of "Operation Texas Kill Switch," a statewide campaign to crack down on switches.
Law enforcement officials describe them as a "dangerous problem" capable of transforming commercially available semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons capable of firing faster than military-grade machine guns.