Texas Gun Runner Edgar Raul Moreno Sentenced to Over Six Years for Sinaloa Cartel Arms Smuggling

San Antonio – A chilling sentence has been handed down to Texas resident Edgar Raul Moreno, who was found guilty of funneling military-grade weaponry to the notorious Sinaloa Cartel. Today, Moreno, now 50 years old, was sentenced in federal court to a staggering 78-month prison term.

According to court documents, between 2020 and 2021, Moreno purchased around a dozen firearms that were particularly sought after by Mexican drug trafficking organizations (DTOs). His ill-gotten goods didn’t stop there; Mexican law enforcement in Sinaloa recovered an M249S belt-fed rifle linked directly back to Moreno.

The ATF’s eagle eyes were on Moreno when he arrived at a Federal Firearms Licensed dealer in San Antonio. He transferred and took custody of the lethal rifle, only to be swiftly nabbed by local police. Investigation revealed that Moreno claimed to have acquired nearly 20 firearms for the cartel within a year, each fetching between $1,000 and $1,400.

ATF analysis pinpointed approximately 20 belt-fed rifles, six additional rifles, five handguns, and two shotguns in Moreno’s arsenal. To date, three of the rifles have been recovered in Mexico, with one pistol turning up in California. Moreno was arrested on August 23, 2021, and charged with nine counts in an indictment filed just a month later.

On March 28, 2025, Moreno pleaded guilty to making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas emphasized the gravity of the offense: ‘Funneling high-powered weapons to Mexican drug cartels threatens our national security and is inexcusable.’

Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel of the ATF Houston Field Division echoed this sentiment, stating that straw purchasing fuels cartel violence and endangers communities on both sides of the border. The investigation was a collaborative effort, led by the ATF, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Yuen prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative targeting illegal immigration, cartels, and violent crime.