Suburban man sentenced to 10 years for selling guns, ‘switches’

CHICAGO — A south suburban gun dealer was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for selling firearms and “switches” — devices that turn semi-automatic guns into automatic ones.

Leonard Johnson, 34, of Robbins, was originally arrested on a federal firearm charge in Dec. 2020. He was accused of selling four “switches” to a person who later sold them to an undercover officer. The individual and Johnson would split the proceeds.

During a search of his south suburban residence that month, authorities discovered 117 “switches” and three handguns that had been converted into machine guns.

Federal authorities said he violated conditions of his pre-trial release for that charge by continuing to traffic firearms.

He fled to Georgia, where he was arrested in March 2022.

Johnson, also known as “Scrap,” pleaded guilty in June to unlawfully dealing firearms and illegal possession of a machine gun.

He was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on Thursday.