Ridgeland man sentenced for possessing illegal machine gun

BEAUFORT, S.C. (WTOC) - A 25-year-old Ridgeland man was sentenced to six years in prison Thursday after pleading guilty to possessing a handgun modified to fire as an automatic weapon, according to the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.

Emanuelle Hargrove Jr. pleaded guilty as indicted in Beaufort County General Sessions Court to a charge of possession of a machine gun. Circuit Court Judge Robert Bonds imposed the sentence.

“This guilty plea reflects our commitment to holding people accountable for possessing illegal automatic weapons, which pose a serious risk to public safety,” said Trasi Campbell of the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, who prosecuted the case.

Modified handgun found during search

The charge stems from a Jan. 8, 2024, traffic stop shortly after 3 a.m. on Lady’s Island. A Beaufort Police officer patrolling near Bay and Carteret streets noticed a Nissan Altima with a non-functioning brake light crossing the Woods Memorial Bridge in downtown Beaufort.

The officer pulled over the vehicle on Sea Island Parkway near Whitehall Park. Hargrove was a passenger in the car.

During the stop, the officer smelled burnt marijuana and conducted a probable-cause search of the vehicle. A Glock 31 handgun equipped with an illegal modification commonly known as a “switch” was found beneath the front passenger seat. The switch converts a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic weapon.

Testing later identified Hargrove’s DNA on the firearm.

Prosecutor highlights weapon danger

Campbell said criminals can convert handguns to automatic weapons with modifications that are easy to conceal and cheap to produce.

“People often think of ‘machine guns’ as military-style or military-grade weapons, but these days, criminals can convert a handgun to an automatic weapon with a modification that is easy to conceal and cheap to produce,” Campbell said. “That makes them especially dangerous, and we will continue to pursue these cases vigorously.”

Hargrove has no previous convictions but has several pending charges stemming from unrelated incidents, including attempted murder and possession of a stolen firearm.

Co-defendant Keianna Nichole Staple of Hilton Head Island, 22, was the driver in the incident. She is charged with driving under suspension.