Teen who ordered switches to turn guns into automatic weapons is in custody, SC police say

Two South Carolina resident recently were taken into custody, including a teenager who’s facing multiple gun charges, according to the Sumter Police Department.

Several guns and multiple “Glock switch” components also were seized during the bust, police said in a news release. A Glock switch is a device that can be added to a semi-automatic firearm, making it fully automatic, police said.

The arrest was made after police, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security learned that the switches had been delivered to a home in the city of Sumter, according to the release.

Police said a 17-year-old resident ordered the switches for potential resale of the devices. He was placed in custody and charged with possession of a machine gun and possession of a firearm by a minor, according to the release.

His name was not made public because of his age.

Information about where the teen was booked, and if he remains incarcerated, was not available.

Dominique Cartell Pearson, 39, also was arrested, police said. Pearson lives at the same residence was found in possession of a controlled substance with a street value of more than $700 and was charged with possession with intent to distribute Ecstasy, according to the release.

Pearson’s residence was listed on Pinson Street, Sumter County court records show. Pearson’s bond was set at $15,000 and posted Tuesday, according to court records.

Despite the arrests, an investigation is continuing, police said.

This story was originally published September 12, 2024 at 1:16 PM.

Noah Feit

The State

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Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription