Lancaster, TX – Armani Morris, 22, is facing a potential five-year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to illegally peddling firearms, authorities announced Wednesday. Morris continued to buy and sell guns even after the ATF warned him he was breaking the law, according to court documents.
The bust started unraveling last July when ATF agents conducted an undercover sting operation. They purchased seven firearms from Morris over four separate occasions, including two AR-type pistols, a Smith & Wesson 9mm, and a Glock 9mm equipped with a switch that converted it into a fully automatic machine gun. This wasn’t a one-off operation; between 2021 and 2022, Morris allegedly moved at least 52 firearms without a license.
Federal agents first confronted Morris in April 2022, after discovering he’d purchased 54 firearms but could only account for two. He admitted to spending all his income on guns, hoping to turn a profit, even acknowledging it wasn’t a “good investment.” Still, he didn’t stop. The ATF had already issued Morris a cease-and-desist letter in December 2021, laying out the legal requirements for becoming a licensed firearms dealer – a path Morris deliberately avoided. He refused to sign the warning letter, a clear indication of his intent, authorities say.
“Federal law requires firearms dealers to be licensed – and, crucially, to run background checks on their buyers,” stated U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Leigha Simonton. “Subverting these laws allows guns to fall into the wrong hands, endangering the public. Despite being warned that his conduct was unlawful, this defendant brazenly continued selling to anyone who would buy.”
ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II added, “Mr. Morris knew the law. Mr. Morris knew the procedures to become a licensed firearms dealer. Mr. Morris chose to ignore them all and continue to deal firearms illegally.” The investigation was a joint effort between the ATF and the Dallas Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Walt Junker is prosecuting the case. Morris’s sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and provide updates as they become available, exposing the underbelly of federal crime in North Texas.
Related Federal Cases
- Ludwin Leonel Monterroso-Lemus, Illegal Reentry and Gun Possession,… · Tennessee
- Adam Gomez, Illegal Gun Possession, New York 2024 · Texas
- Elijah Iverson, 15-Year Gun and Narcotics Conviction, Tonawanda NY,… · Ohio
- Russell Cary Owens, Illegal Firearm Possession, W.Va. 2023 · Ohio
- Michael A. Petro, Gun Possession on National Park Land, CT 2024 · Connecticut
Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
WeaponsWeaponsWeaponsWeapons