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Three Twin Cities men have been arrested and charged in U.S. District Court after law enforcement said they used the social media site Snapchat to operate a machine gun distribution ring. 

19-year-old Rafael Carter Welsey, 23-year-old Kyrees Darious Johnson and 22-year-old Avont Akira Drayton have all been charged with unlawful possession of machine guns in connection. 

According to court documents, undercover law enforcement infiltrated the Snapchat group, obtaining screenshots and videos of several individuals in the group selling, promoting and operating machine gun conversion devices, which are used to convert a firearm into a fully automatic machine gun. 

Law enforcement said the Snapchat group was also used to traffic other firearms and controlled substances in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas.

Undercover officers conducted at least six controlled buys with multiple members of the Snapchat group between March and June, according to the Department of Justice. 

All three men have court appearances this week.

Crime, Law and Justice

Minnesota News

Twin Cities News

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Ellie Roth

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The men were accused of selling machine gun conversion devices, which convert a firearm into a fully automatic machine gun.

Three men charged with operating a machine gun distribution ring on Snapchat

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