Garfield man caught with equipment to make guns fully automatic, FBI says

The FBI arrested a Garfield man on Wednesday, alleging he possessed equipment to convert at least 10 handguns into fully automatic weapons.

In addition, a criminal complaint filed against Jared James Williams, who turns 34 on Friday, said he possessed fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine, with plans to sell the drugs.

He is in custody and will have a detention hearing on Friday.

The complaint said the FBI executed a search warrant at an apartment on Penn Avenue on Wednesday.

In the master bedroom, agents found 10 Glock switches, a trigger mechanism that allows an AR-15 to become fully automatic, multiple partially completed pistol lower receivers and the tools to make the lower receivers fully functional.

The bag also contained multiple extended pistol magazines and ammunition.

Glock switches are a conversion device that can be used on some Glock semiautomatic pistols to convert them to be fully automatic, the complaint said.

Williams is not registered in the ATF’s national database as being permitted to own such a weapon or to sell them, the FBI said.

Agents said they also found a kilogram wrapper of what they believed was cocaine and two firearms in a bathroom attached to the bedroom, which were covered in white powder.

The complaint said investigators also recovered one ounce each of methamphetamine and fentanyl, as well as $21,000 in cash.

When questioned by agents, Williams admitted that he flushed three to four ounces of cocaine down the toilet, according to the complaint. He also admitted that he bought firearms parts and Glock switches online, the FBI said.

“Williams had planned to sell the firearms that he was in possession of,” the complaint said. “Williams stated if an individual was planning to buy a firearm and wanted it to be modified with a switch that Williams would charge an additional $500 for the modification.”

He also admitted that he sold cocaine and marijuana, and was trying to sell firearms to support his family, the complaint said.

Converter switches were the subject of a news conference last week, during which Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. said that there had been seven cases since September in which officers were coming across fully automatic weapons on the streets of Allegheny County.

He said that the converter switches, which can be made of plastic or metal, are starting to become a trend across the country.

Because federal law imposes much stricter penalties for possession of the switches, Zappala said he would be referring cases to the U.S. Attorney’s office.