An individual from Charlotte, North Carolina, has been sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms offenses. The sentencing was announced by Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Jalein Young, 27, received a sentence of 138 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, joined Ferguson in making the announcement.
According to court records, Young sold a Glock model 19 pistol that had been modified with a machinegun conversion device known as a “Glock switch” to an undercover law enforcement agent in 2024. This modification allowed the firearm to fire automatically rather than semi-automatically.
In March 2024, Young arranged to sell 5,000 fentanyl pills to an undercover agent. Law enforcement intercepted him and discovered more than 5,000 pills containing at least 504 grams of fentanyl in his vehicle. Additional investigation led officers to find another 1,532 pills weighing about 358 grams in Young’s garage. Later that month, Young contacted the undercover agent again and offered an additional 4,000 fentanyl pills for sale.
Young was arrested in May 2024 at an airport while attempting to fly to the Dominican Republic on a one-way ticket.
He pleaded guilty to transfer of a machinegun and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Young remains in federal custody and will be transferred to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The ATF led the investigation into this case. Prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte.
