Michigan man sentenced for supplying machine guns to gang members

    DETROIT, Michigan (WWJ) -- A Michigan man has been sentenced to 37 months in prison and two years of supervised release for supplying machine guns to gang members, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced.

Federal officials say Jaquan Foreman, who was a member of the Lansing-area gang, sold machine gun conversion devices, such as switches, buttons and auto-sears, used to convert a semi-automatic weapon into a machine gun that could fire hundreds of rounds in a minute.

A search of his home uncovered ammunition, gun parts, a pistol and a machine gun device, according to a news release. A review of cellphones also uncovered Foreman distributing the devices to other gang members.

Officials say one of the buyers was convicted in August of possessing a machine gun.

"With this case, I am sending a very clear message: if you possess a machinegun conversion device and are driving violence in your community, you are a target for federal prosecution," U.S. Attorney Mark Totten said in a statement. "The devastation machineguns can inflict is horrific. Although violent crime rates have dropped, the spread of machineguns is a growing threat that we are attacking head on."