A 20-year-old man who police say operated an illegal firearms manufacturing lab out of an RV in Escondido was sentenced Monday to one year in jail and two years of probation.
Jace Allan Tornio was arrested in April following a traffic stop in which police said he ran from a vehicle.
Following his arrest, Tornio was found with a concealed, "loaded unserialized Glock-style firearm," as well as two high-capacity magazines and about three dozen rounds of ammo, according to Escondido police. Police said he also had five auto sear/switch devices, which allow guns to be converted from semi-automatic into automatic firearms.
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Investigators searched his residence one day later and found an "illegal gun manufacturing operation" inside an RV on the property. Police released photos of the inside of the RV, showing a pair of 3D printers, 12 pistol lowers and three rifle lowers, nine 3D-printed magazines, as well as additional gun parts, ammunition and another firearm.
"So this is the first time we have seen this in Escondido, but, according to our federal counterparts, this is the way things are probably going to be going," Baerd said, adding later, "More than anything I am surprised by how easy it is to get the software to be able to print these things. All you need is a 3D printer — the software is free, and then you go buy the polymer or plastic to make the pieces, and that’s really all it takes."
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Tornio was initially charged with 28 felonies — most of which were charges of unlawful possession of machine guns — and faced around 10 years in state prison if convicted of all charges.
Monday's sentence followed his guilty plea to a single count of unlawfully converting a firearm into a machine gun.
