Man sentenced for possessing machine guns

Steven Shobert, 49, of Worland, Wyoming, was sentenced on Aug. 28 to 18 months in prison for possession of machine guns in violation of federal law.

According to court documents, on Aug. 29, 2023, Shobert was arrested for driving under the influence. He had a holstered firearm on his hip and surrendered it to the officers. A state judge imposed bond conditions requiring Shobert to relinquish his firearms pending the DUI case. Shobert consented to a search of his residence to gather his firearms. The search resulted in the discovery of one Glock model 17, which was equipped with a machine gun conversion device commonly called a “Glock Switch.” Law enforcement also found three AR-15 type machine gun conversion devices.

Acting U.S. Attorney Eric Heimann explained, “Machine gun conversion devices like auto sears and ‘Glock switches’ can make a semiautomatic firearm into a fully automatic machine gun, so they are considered machine guns under federal law. Possession of these dangerous devices is a serious crime which can result in a felony conviction and federal prison time. Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to remove illegal machine guns from Wyoming communities.”

Shobert was indicted on Nov. 15, 2023 and pleaded guilty on April 11. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the 18-month prison sentence.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Coppom.

The crime was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, and the Washakie County Sheriff’s Office.

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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.