BEAUMONT, Texas – In a gripping turn of events that has sent shockwaves through the Eastern District of Texas, Mexican national Joel Bustamante Moreno, 26, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for illegal possession of a firearm equipped with a machinegun conversion device.
Moreno, an illegal alien living in Nacogdoches, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession or transfer of a machinegun and faced Judge Marcia A. Crone’s stern judgment on September 10, 2025. His sentence: 120 months behind bars.
The court heard harrowing details of Moreno’s criminal activities. In December 2023, during an investigation into the distribution of machinegun conversion devices (MCDs) in Nacogdoches, law enforcement identified Moreno as a key figure. These MCDs are devious mechanisms that can convert semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic machineguns with ease.
On February 1, 2024, Moreno sold a pistol and an AR-style rifle converted to full-auto, along with magazines and live ammunition. After the sale, he attempted to flee from law enforcement in a high-speed chase, which resulted in his vehicle overturning. Moreno managed to evade capture but was eventually tracked down hiding inside a residence, where he was apprehended by SWAT members.
Further investigation revealed that Moreno was not just a threat on American soil; he was also an illegal immigrant without permission to be in the United States. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a robust initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and eradicating transnational criminal organizations.
Investigation into this case was led by the Nacogdoches Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter prosecuted the case with relentless determination.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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