Previously Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Machine Gun

Louisville, KY – A convicted felon pleaded guilty yesterday to illegally possessing a handgun and a “Glock switch” device which allows a semi-automatic handgun to function as an automatic. Glock switches are defined as machine guns under federal law.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.

According to court documents, Jeremiah Neal, 30, of Louisville, illegally possessed a handgun equipped with a Glock switch on April 14, 2022. Neal was also a convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms.

Neal pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and to illegal possession of a machine gun. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 9, 2023, and he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case is being investigated by the ATF with the assistance of the Kentucky Department of Probation and Parole.

Assistant United States Attorney Josh Porter is prosecuting this case.  

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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