Las Cruces Teen Charged with Possessing Machine Gun and Stolen Firearm After Instagram Posts

ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces teenager is facing charges in federal court for possessing a machine gun and a stolen firearm, after authorities discovered Instagram posts allegedly showing him with the illegal weapons.

According to court documents,on August 18, 2024, law enforcement became aware of an Instagram post depicting Jonathan Daniel Martinez, 18, an alleged member of the "East Side Locos" gang, holding a black handgun with the serial number visible. A subsequent check revealed that the firearm had been reported stolen to the Las Cruces Police Department on April 14, 2024. The handgun also had an aftermarket attachment, known as a machinegun conversion device (MCD), designed to convert the firearm into a fully automatic machine gun.

Further investigation of the Instagram account linked to Martinez revealed numerous posts featuring the same firearm, as well as other firearms.