BEAUMONT, TX – A brazen attempt to smuggle a cache of firearms across state lines ended with a hefty federal prison sentence for a Canadian national. Jahtaya O’Dayjah Hamilton, 24, of Ontario, Canada, was sentenced to 63 months behind bars after pleading guilty to possession of an unregistered firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs announced today.
The case unfolded on November 6, 2024, when Hamilton arrived in Houston and allegedly procured 22 firearms from an unidentified trafficker. The haul included four weapons confirmed as stolen and a dangerous short-barrel rifle. Hamilton wasn’t planning on keeping the weapons in Texas; she initially attempted to secure transportation to New York state, but ultimately hired a rideshare driver to take her from Houston to Little Rock, Arkansas.
Angelina County Sheriff’s deputies put a stop to Hamilton’s interstate gun run after a routine traffic stop. According to court documents, the deputy detected the unmistakable odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. A subsequent search revealed the massive firearms stash, leading to Hamilton’s immediate arrest. The smell of weed turned into a massive bust.
Federal Judge Marcia A. Crone handed down the 63-month sentence on September 16, 2025. The prosecution, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter, presented evidence linking Hamilton directly to the illegal firearms and her intent to transport them across state lines. The investigation revealed a clear pattern of criminal intent, turning a simple rideshare into a federal case.
This case is not an isolated incident, but rather a component of the larger “Operation Take Back America,” a sweeping nationwide initiative aimed at dismantling transnational criminal organizations, eliminating cartels, and curbing the flow of illegal immigration. The operation leverages resources from the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The sentencing of Hamilton serves as a stark warning: attempting to profit from the illegal firearms trade in the Eastern District of Texas – or anywhere in the United States – will be met with swift and severe consequences. The streets aren’t safe for gun runners.
RELATED: Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sex Exploitation
RELATED: Canadian Gunrunner Skolseg Gets Over a Year
Related Federal Cases
- Live Nation Faces Trial Over Monopoly Practices · Washington
- Jerrod Nichols Smith Convicted in $50M Drug Diversion Scheme · Texas
- Marijuana Money Man ‘Max’ Anderson Admits to Laundering Millions · Connecticut
- Amgen Pays $71M for Pushing Drugs Off-Label · Washington
- Amgen Inc. $71M Settlement · Washington
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News