Marietta man indicted for possession of illegal machine gun on Georgia Tech Campus

A Marietta man has been indicted for illegal possession of a machine gun on the campus of Georgia Tech. 

During a routine traffic stop on April 8 on the college campus, 34-year-old Floyd Barrow was immediately arrested after Georgia Tech police discovered the weapon. 

According to the U.S. Attorney Ryan Buchanan who represents the Northern District of Georgia, officers from the Georgia Tech Police Department discovered a handgun that had been modified by a device typically used to convert a semi automatic firearm into a fully automatic machine gun. 

A Glock Switch was attached to the gun to allow the weapon to fire automatically at a rate of 1,100-1,200 rounds per minute with a single pull of the trigger, prosecutors said

Buchanan said, “Conversion devices such as Glock Switches pose a substantial danger to our communities. The efforts of our local and federal law enforcement partners to remove these dangerous devices from our streets is critical, including through their leveraging of leads derived from the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network to connect guns to other crime scenes.”

After the gun was confiscated, ATF conducted tests and uploaded the information on the spent shell casings in the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network. 

A search of the ballistic database revealed the pistol had been discharged at least twice, in 2021 and 2022, in the San Francisco Bay area. This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Following Barrow’s indictment, ATF Special Agent in Charge Benjamin Gibbons said, “This indictment demonstrates ATF and our partners’ continued dedication to identify the individuals who threaten the quality of life in our neighborhoods.”

According to Bob Page, U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesman, this case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make neighborhoods safer for everyone. 

No additional information was provided on the seized gun’s connection to the California crime.