11 men charged in drug trafficking, firearms crimes

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (WILX) - Thursday, Mark Trotten, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, joined by multiple federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement for a press conference sharing the results of an investigation that culminated in search warrants being executed, numerous arrests being made, and charges filed against 11 people.

11 men, aged 19 to 32, from Benton Harbor and Grand Rapids, Michigan were charged with firearms and drug trafficking crimes. Five of the 11 were arrested Thursday morning, and five were already in custody on prior charges.

Seven men are facing charges related to the possession and transfer of firearm conversion devices, known as “switches.” Switches can transform ordinary semi-automatic pistols into fully automatic machine guns.

According to a criminal complaint filed in the case, a switch can be installed with minimal technical knowledge in roughly one minute. Once it’s installed, the switch can allow a semi-automatic pistol to fire over 1,000 rounds per minute with a single trigger pull.

Below are the names, city of residence, ages, and charges for the 11 men. One is still being sought by law enforcement.

Name	Residence	Age	Charge(s)
Evorion Anderson	Benton Harbor	20	Distribution of methamphetamine; conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine
Jayvon Anthony	Benton Harbor	21	Possession or transfer of a machinegun; conspiracy to possess or transfer a machinegun; felon in possession of a firearm
Earl Austin IV	Benton Harbor	21	Distribution of methamphetamine; conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; possession or transfer of a machinegun; conspiracy to possess or transfer a machinegun
Quincy Bowman	Benton Harbor	25	Conspiracy to possess or transfer a machinegun
Omarion Branch	Benton Harbor	19	Felon in possession of a firearm
Torez Burnet	Benton Harbor	20	Conspiracy to possess or transfer a machinegun
Nicholas Hallo	Grand Rapids	32	Felon in possession of a firearm
Demetrius Seuell	Benton Harbor	22	Possession or transfer of a machine gun and conspiracy to possess or transfer a machinegun
Timothy Thomas	Benton Harbor	25	Felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition
Armando Villanueva	Grand Rapids	22	Conspiracy to possess or transfer a machinegun
Eric Williams*	Grand Rapids	23	Conspiracy to possess or transfer a machinegun *Law enforcement continues to search for Eric Williams.

Eric Williams, 23, is sought by law enforcement as one of 11 men facing multiple gun and drug... — Eric Williams, 23, is sought by law enforcement as one of 11 men facing multiple gun and drug trafficking charges in West Michigan.(United States Department of Justice)

“Today’s action represents a major step forward in our efforts to combat the rise of violent crime in Michigan,” said Totten. “The destructive capacity of a firearm equipped with a switch is staggering. These devices are an emerging threat to our communities, our children, our law enforcement officers, and anyone who stands in the path of their indiscriminate spray.”

Almost 200 law enforcement officers executed the arrest and search warrants early Thursday morning in Benton Harbor, Grand Rapids, St. Joseph, Michigan, and Port St. Lucie, Florida.

“These charges represent a remarkable, multi-agency effort that involved the FBI and ten other federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners working together to keep West Michigan families safe,” Trotten said.

The investigation was conducted in the Benton Harbor and Grand Rapids areas.

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