Homeland Security, ATF Investigate Plant City man for ‘glock switches’
PLANT CITY, Fla. - Search warrants show a package from China led Homeland Security Investigations Tampa to the front door of a Plant City man looking for glock switches, an illegal device which can turn a handgun into a machine gun.
Philip Valeriani is in jail facing charges including drug trafficking and possession of a machine gun.
Plant City detectives suspected Valeriani of running an illegal firearms parts operation out of his home, directly across from Wilson Elementary school.
According to the search warrant, they found drugs, gun parts, a machine gun, a bullet-proof vest and a DEA and FBI raid jacket. They suspect him of importing, making, or distributing those glock switches.
Last month, Customs and Border Protection agents flagged a package from China, which contained toy cars, disguising 63 glock switch parts which investigators say could make 21 glock switches. That package was headed for a Plant City apartment which they say is connected to Valeriani.
That discovery comes after a previous search of Valeriani’s home last May, when detectives say they found a 3D printer they believed he was using to make the switches.
READ: 5 arrested after shots fired at officers, leading to pursuit in Tampa
The search warrant outlines that after Plant City detectives seized the 3D printer, he started receiving packages from overseas, 55 in total.
However, during the search last week, investigators did not appear to find any glock switches at his home, and he is not currently facing any charges related to that.
Last month, the U.S. attorney for the southern district of Florida explained the dangers of criminals getting glock switches and said they've seen a rise in switches on the streets of Florida.
"These illegal devices turn a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic machine gun with a single pull of the trigger," said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe.
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