Man sentenced to 11 years after selling fentanyl, Glock switch to undercover officer

CHARLOTTE — A Charlotte man was sentenced to 138 months in prison for selling a machine gun conversion device and possessing more than 6,000 fentanyl pills.

Jalein Young, 27, was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release following his prison term, officials said.

Young previously pleaded guilty to charges of transfer of a machine gun and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

The investigation into Young began with the sale of a firearm to an undercover law enforcement agent in 2024, officials said. Young provided the agent with a Glock model 19 pistol that had been fitted with a conversion device. This device, commonly known as a “Glock switch,” transformed the semiautomatic handgun into a weapon capable of fully automatic fire.

In March 2024, Young coordinated a deal to sell 5,000 fentanyl pills to an undercover agent. Law enforcement officers intercepted Young and searched his vehicle, where they discovered more than 5,000 pills, officials said. A chemical analysis performed at a laboratory confirmed the pills contained at least 504 grams of fentanyl.

Investigators extended their search to Young’s garage, where they said they found an additional 1,532 fentanyl pills weighing approximately 358 grams. Despite the law enforcement activity, Young contacted the undercover agent again in late March 2024 to offer a second sale of 4,000 fentanyl pills.

Young was apprehended in May 2024 while attempting to leave the country, officials said. Authorities arrested him at an airport as he tried to board a flight to the Dominican Republic. Court records indicate he was traveling on a one-way ticket at the time of his arrest.

Young remains in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his sentence.

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