The final defendant in a federal guns case out of Benton Harbor has been convicted.

U.S. Attorney Mark Totten says 22-year-old Earl Austin IV of Benton Harbor has been found guilty by a jury of two counts of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, five counts of distribution of methamphetamine, three counts of possession and transfer of a machinegun, four counts of felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

In December of 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan announced charges against eleven defendants, including Austin. The charges covered a range of crimes, including the sale of “switches,” or small devices that turn semi-automatic pistols into fully automatic machine guns.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office later charged six additional defendants as part of the same investigation. All have now been convicted. 13 have been sentenced, with the sentences ranging from 24 months to 180 months.

The sentencing date for Austin has not yet been scheduled.

Below are the sentences handed down to other defendants: