Felon sent back to prison for transporting illegal guns in vehicle

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 37-year-old resident of Pharr has been ordered to federal prison after admitting to being a felon in possession of six firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. 

Erasmo Elizondo-Moreno pleaded guilty May 6.

Today, U.S. District Judge David S. Morales ordered Elizondo-Moreno to serve a 66-month sentence to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.

“When firearms enter the gray market, they are often destined to further a criminal enterprise which fuels violent crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Fred Milanowski of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).  “We are pleased to work with our partner agencies to take these illegally possessed guns off the street before they do just that.”

On June 7, 2019, authorities pulled Elizondo-Moreno over for a traffic violation. At that time, he consented to a search of his vehicle. Law enforcement soon found a tool bag in the trunk which contained six pistols concealed inside four vacuum-sealed bags.  

He later admitted to transporting the firearms to the Rio Grande Valley in exchange for $500.

Having been convicted April 25, 2019, for possessing marijuana, he is prohibited per federal law of possessing any firearms or ammunition.

Elizondo-Moreno has been in custody since his arrest for a pretrial violation on May 2 where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Kleberg County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Gould prosecuted the case.