
01/18/2025
Six individuals were arrested in North Texas on Thursday following a joint operation by ATF Dallas, the Irving Police Department, and the Arlington Police Department targeting the illegal sale of firearm switches via social media. The suspects face federal charges related to the possession and transfer of machine guns, with some also charged with conspiracy to do so.
According to court documents, Marnelius Burks and Royce Weaver allegedly ordered illegal switches from China, while Marco Cabrales advertised and sold the devices on social media. Anthony Joel Cantu is accused of selling both switches and drop-in sears designed to convert semi-automatic fi****ms into fully automatic weapons. During a recorded meeting with an undercover officer, Cantu reportedly confirmed that the devices could indeed make rifles fire fully automatic, saying, “hell yeah, my boy.”
The takedown was part of “Operation Texas Kill Switch,” a statewide initiative launched in June 2024 aimed at targeting machinegun conversion devices, also known as “switches.” These devices enable semi-automatic weapons to have the ability to rapidly fire. If convicted, the suspects face up to 10 years in federal prison. Additionally, two juveniles arrested in the operation are being charged at the state level, due to their ages, we cannot share their identify.
The Bureau of Alcohol, To***co, Fi****ms, and Explosives (ATF), alongside the Irving Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and local police agencies, led the investigation.
From Left to Right in the photo attached:
Caden Martinez, 17
Xavier Velasquez, 17
Marnelius Burks, 20
Marco Cabrales, 22
Royce Weaver, 21
Anthony Cantu, 18
Damien Sereseroz, 20
Gracie Valadez, 20