Pasadena Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Unlicensed Firearms Sales and Machine Gun Possession

Austin Shofner, 28, of Pasadena, Texas, has been sentenced to a total of 10 years in federal prison for the unlicensed sale of firearms and possession of a machine gun, according to U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Shofner pleaded guilty on May 23 to charges involving the sale of privately manufactured firearms and machine gun conversion devices (MCDs).

U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. imposed a 120-month prison term for the machine gun charge and a concurrent 60-month term for the unlicensed firearms sales, followed by three years of supervised release. Shofner was also ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution. The court emphasized the need for deterrence given Shofner’s criminal history and the nature of his offenses.

“Austin Shofner wanted to build his illegal gun manufacturing business, supplying deadly machine guns, devices that converted handguns into machine guns, automatic rifles and silencers to anyone who would pay,” said Hamdani. “He had big dreams until he ran into an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).”

Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel of the ATF stated, “Engaging in the business of firearms sales without proper licensing is a violation of law that the ATF will continue to investigate aggressively. MCDs pose a grave risk to law enforcement and the general public.”

Shofner began selling several privately manufactured firearms, known as “ghost guns,” and machine gun conversion devices through Instagram starting in January. During one transaction, he described a silencer as “illegal as [expletive].”

On March 7, authorities executed a search warrant at Shofner’s Pasadena residence, seizing a Glock pistol, a pistol frame, an assault-style pistol, a suppressor, five MCDs, two silencers, and five ghost guns, including a machine gun and a short-barreled rifle.

Shofner will remain in custody until his transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. The investigation was conducted by the ATF, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black prosecuted the case.