UCF student arrested for making illegal alterations to AR-15, campus police say

ORLANDO, Fla. (FOX 35 WOFL) - On Wednesday, the University of Central Florida (UCF) Police Department (UCFPD) reported that they arrested a UCF student on charges related to the illegal alteration of a firearm. 

They say that anonymous reports were reported through Crimeline on Monday. This alerted UCFPD to the possible manufacturing and possessing of multiple drop-in auto sears (DIAS) by a UCF student. These devices, when installed, increase the rate of fire of a weapon. So, DIAS can turn a semiautomatic weapon into an automatic weapon. 

“At no time was there an expressed threat to the university community. However, any violation of state law and university policies related to firearms is concerning in this day and age” said UCF Police Chief Carl Metzger. “We’re grateful for the anonymous reporting and our partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, both of which enabled us to take swift action and get these illegal devices off our campus.”

DIAS are prohibited in Florida as part of the bump stock ban that took effect in October. A federal ban on bomb stocks, including DIAS, will take effect his March. 

UCFPD says that they soon made contact with the student, identified as 20-year-old Max Bennett Chambers. Officers found a modified AR-15, two completed DIAS, one DIAS in manufacturing progress, knives that violated Bennett's campus housing policy, and several legally owned firearms that were in compliance with university policy.

Chambers was arrested. He is now trespassed from campus as a result of two felony charges for possessing a machine gun and a bump fire stock. 

Chambers is a sophomore mechanical engineering major. 

UCFPD says that they have previously made contact with Chambers in spring 2018. They were responding to a report of a weapons policy violation in his on-campus residence. Chambers was in possession of a part of a firearm, which is not illegal but was a violation of campus policies. UCF's policy and state laws were explained to him at that time.

If you are on UCF campus and see any suspicious activity, please call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.