A Mexican national residing illegally in Nacogdoches has admitted guilt to federal immigration and firearms charges in the Eastern District of Texas. The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Joel Bustamante Moreno, 25, entered a guilty plea for unlawful reentry by a deported alien and unlawful possession of a machine gun before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on March 18, 2025.
Court documents reveal that on February 1, 2024, Moreno was apprehended after selling several firearms, including a 9mm pistol with a machine gun conversion device known as a Glock switch. These devices enable pistols to fire automatically with one trigger pull. After the transaction, law enforcement attempted to detain Moreno as he fled in his vehicle. He crashed the vehicle and escaped on foot to a residence where he was subsequently arrested. Moreno had been deported previously in 2019 and 2020 without authorization to return to the United States.
Moreno was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 20, 2024. He faces up to ten years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum sentence set by Congress is provided for informational purposes; however, sentencing will be determined by the court based on advisory guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled following the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that unites all levels of law enforcement with communities to reduce violent crime and gun violence while enhancing neighborhood safety. PSN focuses on building trust within communities, supporting organizations that prevent violence proactively, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.
The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; and the Nacogdoches Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter is prosecuting the case.