Maplewood Man Admits Selling Machine Gun Conversion Devices

ST. LOUIS – A man from Maplewood, Missouri on Wednesday admitted selling nine machine gun conversion devices to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Tanario Darden, 23, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two felony counts: transporting prohibited weapons without a license and transferring machine guns. He admitted using his Instagram account to offer machine gun conversion devices (MCDs) for sale. MCDs, also known as switches or auto sears, convert a semi-automatic firearm into fully automatic weapon. MCDs are defined as a machine gun under federal law.

ATF agents learned of the Instagram account in the spring of 2024 and an undercover agent contacted Darden. After arranging the sale via Darden, an intermediary delivered two MCDs on April 29, 2024. A different man delivered seven more on May 29, 2024.

Darden is scheduled to be sentenced on April 15.The transporting prohibited weapons charge carries a potential penalty of up to five years in prison. The machine gun charge carries a penalty of 10 years in prison.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case.