A Memphis motel security guard who, according to federal prosecutors, was moonlighting as a drug and gun dealer has been handed a 35-year federal prison sentence tied to the sale of so-called “switches” that turn handguns into machine guns.
Christopher Walker, 38, was sentenced Wednesday to 35 years in federal prison after a jury convicted him on multiple counts connected to drug trafficking and illegal firearms, including carrying a machine gun during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Prosecutors say the case grew out of undercover buys in late 2024 that focused on machine-gun conversion devices, small parts that can make a semiautomatic handgun fire like a machine gun. Walker was working as a security guard at a local motel when authorities allege he sold drugs and firearms to a confidential informant.
Undercover buys and what prosecutors say Walker sold
According to Action News 5, court documents say undercover agents first bought about 98 grams of marijuana and a handgun from Walker in October 2024. The outlet reports that in a December 2024 controlled buy, Walker sold a firearm fitted with a machine-gun conversion device along with more than 100 grams of marijuana.
Timeline: trial and sentencing
The calendar of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee shows a three-day jury trial in early October 2025, followed by a sentencing hearing on Jan. 21, 2026. Court listings identify the case as USA v. Christopher Walker (USM# 64123-511).
Guilty verdict and sentence details
In a press release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee says a jury found Walker guilty of two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and carrying a machine gun during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. On Jan. 21, a judge imposed a 421-month federal sentence. The release notes state that there is no parole in the federal system.
Federal crackdown and legal note
“Firearms equipped with MCDs are extremely dangerous devices that can cause multiple injuries or fatalities in less than one second,” U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said in the office’s release. That statement, included with the press release, frames a broader enforcement push in recent years against so-called “switches.” The release also says the case was investigated by the ATF and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jermal Blanchard and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Clinton Crosier.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reminds the public that federal convictions carry no parole and that firearm offenses tied to drug trafficking can produce lengthy, consecutive penalties. The sentence removes a repeat violent felon from the streets for decades, prosecutors said, and underscores the federal focus on conversion devices sold in tandem with drugs…