GR man charged with injuring officer, possessing Glock switch
WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD) — A man accused of using his SUV as a weapon to injure a Kent County sheriff’s lieutenant last week had a potentially far more dangerous weapon when police caught up with him, according to court records.
Court records show he was armed with a handgun set up to shoot like a machine gun, capable of firing 1,000 rounds a minute.
Juan Donzell Jones II, 34, is not only charged with fleeing and assaulting police, but he also faces a charge of possessing a Glock switch, which turns a handgun into a machine gun.
He was arraigned Monday in 63rd District Court and Wyoming District Court on a total of seven charges.
So far this year, the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office has charged 14 people with possession of a Glock switch.
“The interesting thing about that is that the vast majority of them, all of them except two, have been issued since the end of June, so definitely it’s something we’ve been seeing increasing just in the back half of 2023,” Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said.
Man faces several charges after deputy injured
Court records show that the Metro Patterns Crimes Team, working with the Kent Area Narcotics Enforcement Team, were investigating Jones for narcotics sales and possession of a Glock switch based on a Silent Observer tip.
A switch on a Glock makes the gun more difficult to control.
“Anything that can increase the volume of the amount of people getting shot, how many rounds are going out there, is something that’s very concerning for any law enforcement,” Becker said. “Generally, when you see these high-volume shots, it’s not the person who’s actually aimed at. It’s the collateral damage, if you will, whether it be a house, a car or other people that are all hit.
“It gets sprayed all over the place, and that’s where you see innocent bystanders really getting hit,” Becker said.
On Wednesday, police said they spotted Jones near Harry’s Corner store, located at 3195 Eastern Ave. SW near 32nd Street, and said they watched what appeared to be hand-to-hand transactions.
When police tried to stop him, he escaped by ramming several vehicles, including two police cars, with his 2023 BMW X5.
‘Emerging threat’: GRPD, Kent Co. deputies find Glock switches on streets
A sheriff’s lieutenant was struck by one of those vehicles. The lieutenant was taken by ambulance to the hospital after suffering bruises, scrapes and a loose tooth.
Police later tracked down Jones to an apartment in Gaines Township.
When the sheriff’s tactical team arrived, his girlfriend told them he was hiding in the attic with a backpack and a gun, according to the affidavit.
After an hour of negotiations, he surrendered.
Police found two handguns in the attic, including a Glock 23 equipped with an illegal Glock switch. They also recovered more than a pound of marijuana and more than $6,000 in cash.
In court records, federal prosecutors say Glock switches have become a “rampant” problem in Michigan and elsewhere.
Last December, the feds charged 10 people in a ring that sold or gave away Glock switches imported from China in Grand Rapids and Benton Harbor.
So far, nine have been sentenced to federal prison, including the leader, who got nearly six years.
Becker, the Kent County prosecutor, says it’s not clear if any Glock switches have been used in shootings here.
“We have seen a number of incidents where there’s been a high volume of shots, but can we tie them directly to Glock switches? We cannot do it at that point in time, but you see the amount of casings that are found at the scene, the amount of bullets around the area; it could have been a Glock switch but we can’t definitely say that at this point in time,” he said.
Jones is being held in jail without bond. The most serious charge carries up to five years in prison.
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