A Maplewood, Missouri resident has admitted to selling machine gun conversion devices to an undercover agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Tanario Darden, 23, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two felony charges: transporting prohibited weapons without a license and transferring machine guns. According to court documents, Darden used his Instagram account to advertise the sale of machine gun conversion devices (MCDs), also known as switches or auto sears. These devices can convert a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic weapon and are classified as machine guns under federal law.
ATF agents became aware of Darden’s Instagram activity in spring 2024. An undercover agent contacted him through the platform and arranged a purchase. On April 29, 2024, an intermediary delivered two MCDs on Darden’s behalf. Another individual delivered seven additional devices on May 29, 2024.
Darden is scheduled for sentencing on April 15. The charge of transporting prohibited weapons carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, while the charge related to transferring machine guns carries up to ten years.
The ATF conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is handling the prosecution.
