Colorado Springs men federally indicted for nationwide machine gun conversion device 3D printing operation

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Two men from Colorado Springs are accused in a nationwide machine gun scheme. Federal agents say the pair was running an operation where they 3D printed machine gun conversion devices and sold them across the country. They said the operation was happening in a neighborhood near South Academy Boulevard just north of Fort Carson.

Court documents detail a months-long investigation by special agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Initially, agents were tipped off about the alleged machine gun converter manufacturing and trafficking by a confidential informant in Louisville, Kentucky. They say it led them to the Colorado Springs home that was the site of a nationwide operation to sell machine gun converters. 

This is an example of a machine gun converter courtesy of the ATF. The Bureau describes them as easily integrated with semiautomatic firearms, like a pistol, to illegally convert them to fire automatically. 

"When you first told me about this, I was like, wow. Like, this is crazy," said neighbor Caitlin Huntley, "Like they had a whole operation."

Neighbors were stunned to find that federal agents believe roommates Aiden Fritz and Christian Granat were using a 3D printer to make the devices.

"It's really unsettling, and it's kind of a scary feeling," shared Huntley.

Court documents allege that the two would disguise the 3D-printed weaponry in Lego boxes to ship them across the country. Two weeks ago, agents raided their home in Colorado Springs and found around 300 machine gun conversion devices and four Glock-style ghost guns. 

"This is really mind-blowing. Especially with a bunch of kids around here; at least 10 to 20 houses have kids around here. So yeah, it's unbelievable," said Huntley.

Huntley says she's not against guns for protection, but these devices are highly illegal. With three kids and another on the way, Huntley is grateful the two roommates will no longer be bringing trouble into their neighborhood.

KRDO13 knocked on the door of the roommate's home Wednesday. Nobody answered. 

If convicted, the two face up to 10 years in prison each.