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Crime, Law and Justice
Ellie Roth
St. Paul

Three men charged with operating a machine gun distribution ring on Snapchat

Federal courthouse in Minneapolis
The federal courthouse in downtown Minneapolis. Three Twin Cities men have been arrested and charged in U.S. District Court after law enforcement said they used Snapchat to operate a machine gun distribution ring. 
Matt Sepic | MPR News 2019

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Three Twin Cities men have been arrested and charged in U.S. District Court after law enforcement said they used the social media site Snapchat to operate a machine gun distribution ring. 

19-year-old Rafael Carter Welsey, 23-year-old Kyrees Darious Johnson and 22-year-old Avont Akira Drayton have all been charged with unlawful possession of machine guns in connection.

According to court documents, undercover law enforcement infiltrated the Snapchat group, obtaining screenshots and videos of several individuals in the group selling, promoting and operating machine gun conversion devices, which are used to convert a firearm into a fully automatic machine gun. 

Law enforcement said the Snapchat group was also used to traffic other firearms and controlled substances in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas.

Undercover officers conducted at least six controlled buys with multiple members of the Snapchat group between March and June, according to the Department of Justice. 

All three men have court appearances this week.