A 19-year-old Dallas gang member has been detained pending trial after being charged with possession of a machinegun, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton for the Northern District of Texas.
Johnny Bates, a known member of the “415 East Dallas Posse,” was arrested on November 7, 2024, and ordered detained following a Friday hearing.
Incident Details
Court records indicate that in December 2023, Bates was captured on video firing a pistol that appeared fully automatic. While he evaded capture at the time, police recovered a Glock pistol with a switch device along his flight path.
In October 2024, detectives tracked Bates to an apartment in Dallas's Oak Cliff neighborhood. During the arrest on warrants tied to the December 2023 incident, Bates resisted, requiring officers to wrestle him to the ground.
In Bates's backpack, officers discovered a 9mm Glock pistol equipped with a gold switch and an extended magazine. A National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) inquiry linked the Glock to a September 12 aggravated assault in Dallas. However, law enforcement clarified that Bates is not a suspect in that case, as another individual has been identified.
Evidence and Charges
At the detention hearing, officers presented evidence of Bates’s alleged repeated possession of machinegun conversion devices, including images from his Instagram showing firearms with visible switches attached.
If convicted, Bates faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
The Dallas Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) Dallas Field Division led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Withers is prosecuting the case.
