MOBILE, AL — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Alabama, Southern), published as received.

MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for illegally possessing a machinegun. 

According to court documents, on February 17, 2026, Mobile Police Department officers were patrolling downtown Mobile as part of increased law enforcement presence during Mardi Gras parades and festivities. During the surveillance operation, officers arrested Joshua Marcel Pugh, 22, for possessing a machinegun-conversion device. A machine gun conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch,” is designed to convert a pistol into a fully automatic weapon. 

Pugh was subsequently indicted on a charge of possessing a machine gun and pleaded guilty to the offense.  United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced Pugh to 12 months and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Mobile Police Department investigated the case. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Terrill prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.