YouTube personality Matthew Hoover, known for his CRS Firearms YouTube channel boasting over 180,000 subscribers, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison.
This judgment comes in connection with his promotion of a device referred to as an auto key card, capable of transforming semi-automatic rifles into illegal machine guns.
YouTuber’s Impact on Hoover’s Sales Surge
The prosecution, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, argued that Hoover’s videos on the CRS Firearms channel significantly boosted the sales of this controversial device.
According to court records, Hoover’s co-conspirator, Kristopher Justinboyer Ervin, produced around 300 prototypes of the auto key card in October 2020. Hoover began advertising the device approximately a month later, resulting in the sale of roughly 2,000 units within a few months.
Ervin even established a website dedicated to selling these devices, which outwardly resembled innocuous items like bottle openers, despite their dangerous capabilities. Hoover’s legal defense maintained that the government’s position was baseless, likening the auto key card to a mere drawing. They argued that many of these devices were ineffective and that Hoover’s statements in his YouTube videos were protected by free speech.
Read more: Ohio Murder Suspect Found Dead Following Multi-State Manhunt And Hostage Situation
Firearm Modification Controversy
Ervin came under the radar of authorities when his bank reported suspicious activities in January 2021. Subsequently, ATF agents, alongside the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, began surveilling Ervin in February 2021. They observed him mailing numerous packages, all containing the auto key card devices.
Prosecutors claimed that an ATF firearms enforcement officer was able to modify a semi-automatic AR-15 to fully automatic in just 40 minutes using the lightning link from the auto key card, despite Hoover’s defense asserting that the officer had to create his own design and that the firearm malfunctioned.
Following the raid on Ervin’s residence, Hoover posted a video expressing surprise at the situation and his disbelief that he could be charged for having a drawing. Ervin allegedly paid Hoover for his advertisements through cash and even a Louis Vuitton purse sent via mail.
In total, the evidence presented in court revealed that at least 6,600 individual lightning links were part of this conspiracy. Despite the guilty verdict, Hoover’s attorneys have announced their intention to appeal the decision.
For individuals possessing an auto key card, authorities recommend contacting the nearest ATF office or calling 1-800-ATF-GUNS to arrange its surrender for destruction.
The case serves as a stark reminder of the serious consequences that can result from the promotion and distribution of potentially dangerous devices.
Read more: Texas SNAP Benefits For September: Last Chance To Receive Up To $1,691 In Four Days
