Hobbs Man Who Sold Illegal Firearm Devices to Undercover Agents Pleads Guilty

ALBUQUERQUE – A Hobbs man admitted to selling illegal devices that convert semi-automatic pistols into machine guns to undercover agents investigating a series of shootings in Carlsbad.

According to court records, the investigation began after several shootings involving juvenile suspects took place in Carlsbad, New Mexico, in 2024. During a review of a phone belonging to one of the juvenile shooting suspects, officers from the Carlsbad Police Department discovered conversations indicating the sale of machine gun conversion devices. These devices convert semi-automatic pistols into machine guns capable of firing hundreds of rounds per minute with a single trigger pull.

The investigation led to Tevon Wayne Davis Cobbs, 24, who used the online aliases "Tee Swoo" and "TMURDA." Subsequently, undercover agents with the Lea County Drug Task Force (LCDTF) contacted Cobbs through Facebook, posing as potential buyers, and arranged to purchase machine gun conversion devices. Over the course of two controlled buys, Cobbs sold the undercover agents multiple machine gun conversion devices and a silencer. He admitted to dealing in illegal firearm modifications for three to four years and showed the undercover agents videos of himself firing weapons converted to fully automatic capability. During these deals, Cobbs not only offered to sell the agents more machine gun conversion devices but also boasted that he had a machine gun on his person at that moment and offered to retrieve it from his car to show them.

Cobbs pled guilty to four charges, including possession and transfer of a machinegun, possession of an unregistered NFA firearm, possession of NFA firearm without serial number and illegal transfer of NFA firearm.

At sentencing, Cobbs faces up to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Additionally, Cobbs faces up to $280,000 in fines.

Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is investigating this case with assistance from the Lea County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Ry Ellison is prosecuting the case.