PHOENIX, Ariz. – A man from Phoenix, Carlos Negrete Farias, has been sentenced to 37 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Machine Gun. United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes handed down the sentence on October 2, 2023, along with three years of supervised release.

The case stems from a transaction that took place on January 31, 2022, when Farias agreed to exchange a “fun AR” and $3,000.00 for a .50 caliber rifle with an Undercover Agent (UC). In their dealings, Farias sent a video to the UC, showing an unidentified person firing a fully automatic AR-15 style rifle.

Shortly after, on February 8, 2022, Farias was arrested during an exchange with the UC. Law enforcement officials found a machine gun conversion device in his possession, knowing that it was designed and intended for converting a semi-automatic gun into a machinegun.

This case was brought to light as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, which aims to reduce violent crime and enhance community safety. The program, launched in 2017 by the Department of Justice, encourages collaboration among law enforcement agencies at all levels, as well as local communities, to develop strategies to combat violent crime effectively.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led the investigation in this matter, culminating in a successful prosecution by the United States Attorney’s Office in Phoenix, Arizona.

Finally, Carlos Negrete Farias’s case number is CR-22-00149-PHX-DLR, and this information is being released as number 2023-167_Farias.

For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, please visit their official website at http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/. Stay updated on the latest news from the office by following them on Twitter, @USAO_AZ.