SAN ANTONIO – The grim reaper of the gun trade, Edgar Raul Moreno, 50, was today handed a 78-month federal prison sentence for his sinister role in arming Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel.
According to court documents, Moreno purchased around a dozen military-grade firearms in 2020 and 2021. His mark: the highly desirable weapons coveted by Mexican drug trafficking organizations (DTOs). But this was no small-time hustle; it was a well-orchestrated plot that saw him take delivery of an M249S belt-fed rifle, recovered by Mexican law enforcement in Sinaloa.
The ATF caught Moreno red-handed. He was nabbed soon after taking custody of another belt-fed rifle at a Federal Firearms Licensed (FFL) dealer in San Antonio. A quick pull over by the San Antonio Police Department sealed his fate.
During the grilling, Moreno bragged about his flourishing business with the Sinaloa Cartel, swapping 20 firearms for $1,000-$1,400 per firearm. The ATF’s tally? About 20 belt-fed rifles, six other rifles, five handguns, and two shotguns. Three of those rifles have already turned up in Mexico, while one pistol was recovered in California.
Moreno was booked on August 23, 2021, and charged with nine counts of illegal activity. On March 28, 2025, he pleaded guilty to making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. “Funneling high-powered weapons to Mexican drug cartels threatens our national security,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
“This sentence underscores the serious consequences that come with illegally trafficking firearms,” added Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel for the ATF Houston Field Division. “Straw purchasing is not a victimless crime—it fuels cartel violence, endangers communities on both sides of the border, and threatens national security.”
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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