Hudsonville Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing, Transferring Machinegun Conversion Devices

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A 19-year-old Hudsonville, Michigan man named Ethan Carter has pled guilty to possession and transfer of a machinegun. In June 2025, Carter gave a machinegun conversion device to another person, and weeks later, the ATF executed a search warrant at his home and found roughly six more machinegun conversion devices, along with a Glock pistol with a machinegun device installed.

Why it matters

Machinegun conversion devices are illegal under federal law, as they allow semi-automatic firearms to fire automatically. This case highlights the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to crack down on the illegal possession and transfer of these dangerous devices, which pose a serious threat to public safety.

The details

Carter pled guilty to the federal charges of possession and transfer of a machinegun. The machinegun conversion devices he possessed and transferred allow semi-automatic firearms to shoot automatically, with a single trigger pull, without manual reloading. The ATF executed a search warrant at Carter's home and recovered the illegal devices, as well as a Glock pistol that had been modified with a machinegun device.

• In June 2025, Carter gave a machinegun conversion device to another person.
• Weeks later, the ATF executed a search warrant at Carter's home.

What’s next

Carter is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9, 2026, and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison for the federal firearms charges.