GRAND RAPIDS, MI (WNWN/WTVB) – A Battle Creek man is facing federal charges after a search of a residence in the city on April 27 led to the seizure of drugs, firearms, about a thousand rounds of ammunition, various high-capacity magazines, pill presses, and other drug trafficking paraphernalia.
U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten announced on Wednesday that a federal grand jury in Grand Rapids returned a superseding indictment charging 26-year-old Travon Deshaun-Roderick Mansker with possessing over four kilograms of methamphetamine intended for resale and 10 firearms as a felon.
Authorities say two of the weapons had been modified to meet the federal definition of “machine guns.”
Totten said “Drugs and guns are a dangerous combination, and we are committed to getting illegal guns and drugs off of our streets. The prevalence of machine gun conversion devices in the Western District is a particularly troubling trend that my office takes seriously.”
The grand jury alleges Mansker possessed methamphetamine that he intended to distribute to others and had numerous weapons in his possession.
The defendant will be arraigned on the superseding indictment before U.S. Magistrate Phillip J. Green. If convicted of the drug charge, Mansker faces a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison with a maximum penalty up to life.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations and Battle Creek Police with additional support by the FBI.