Burnsville Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Machineguns

MINNEAPOLIS (WJON News) – A Burnsville man has pleaded guilty to illegal possession of machinegun conversion devices, or switches.

According to court documents, in March 2023, federal agents received information that 29-year-old Benjamin Zwack, an employee at a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) business, was selling 3D-printed machinegun conversion devices, commonly known as “switches” or “auto sears.”

These devices enable firearms to be fired as a fully automatic weapon by a single function of the trigger and qualify as machine guns under federal law.

According to court documents, on March 7, 2023, an undercover agent went to the FFL business and purchased from Zwack eleven 3D-printed machinegun conversion devices designed to convert a semiautomatic AR-Type weapon to shoot automatically. During the purchase, the undercover agent observed a gun in Zwack’s waistband.

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According to court documents, on March 30, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on Zwack’s home and vehicle. Officers recovered a Girsan-Regard, 9mm semi-automatic pistol from the center console of Zwack’s vehicle and a shotgun and ammunition from his home. A search of Zwack’s storage locker revealed additional guns, suspected homemade silencers, ammunition, and a suspected destructive device.

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