U.S. Attorney's Office
Southern District of Texas
Tim Johnson - Acting United States Attorney

VICTORIA RESIDENT PLEADS GUILTY TO NUMEROUS FEDERAL
FIREARMS VIOLATIONS

(VICTORIA, Texas) – Turner Cornell Mooneyham, 58, of Victoria, has pleaded guilty to eight counts of various federal firearms statutes, acting United States Attorney Tim Johnson and Dewey Webb, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Houston Field Division announced today. The violations included dealing in firearms withut a license, falsifying documents used to purchase firearms, smuggling firearms from the United States into Mexico and transporting firearms from the U.S. into Mexico while knowingly committing a felony.

“This case is an example of ATF’s Project Gunrunner, which stems the flow of firearms to Mexico,” said Webb. “Those attempting to circumvent the laws of the United States will be held responsible”.

Over the last several years, Mooneyham purchased more than 500 firearms and then smuggled them to Mexico for resale. Although Mooneyham often purchased specific firearms based on orders from customers in Mexico, he listed himself as the “actual buyer.” Mooneyham placed his orders with numerous firearms dealers in Victoria, Houston, San Antonio, Corpus Christi and other locations throughout Texas. Local Victoria firearms dealers not only described Mooneyham as ordering firearms from lists, they also informed ATF authorities that he would file Texas tax exemption forms indicating the firearms were for resale, thereby avoiding the payment of sales taxes on his purchase.

Witnesses desribed traveling with Mooneyham into central Mexico where firearms were delivered to various locations. These same witnesses further desribed methods of concealment used to smuggle the firearms into Mexico, including a cache under the platform bed of the motor home where firearms were hidden. A search of the motor home used by Mooneyham to travel back and forth to Mexico resulted in the discovery and seizure of ammunition, gun orders, Mexican immigration documents and other evidence indicative of firearms trafficking.

In June 2007, a search was conducted of Mooneyham’s residence. Numerous items of evidence were collected, including a computer which held documentation of his illegal firearms dealings. A search of that computer also revealed videos containing child pornography. As a result, he is also charged with several counts possession of child pornography. That case is set for trial to begin March 9, 2009.

The dealing in firearms withut a license and falsifying documents used to purchase firearms each carry a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment. The smuggling charges and transporting while knowingly committing a felony both carry a sentence of not more than 10 years in federal prison each. All the charges carry a maximim fine of $250,000 each and a maximum of three years of supervised release following completion of the sentence inposed.

The case was investigated by ATF and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carol Wheeler.

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