Las Vegas Man Sentenced to Five Years for Illegal Firearm Manufacture and Meth Distribution

A Las Vegas man, James Mosqueda, has been sentenced to a five-year prison term for his involvement in the illegal manufacture and sale of firearms, some made using a 3-D printer, and machine gun conversion devices, as well as for distributing methamphetamine. Following his prison sentence, Mosqueda will be subject to four years of supervised release. United States District Judge Richard F. Boulware II presided over the sentencing, as per the announcement made by United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Nevada

Mosqueda's illicit activities spanned from September to November 2023, during which he sold a variety of firearms and conversion devices that transform semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic ones. Among the goods he sold were private 9mm and .45 caliber firearms without serial numbers, silencers, and various machine gun conversion devices. Additionally, Mosqueda distributed over a kilogram of methamphetamine, resulting in his guilty plea to multiple charges, including firearm trafficking and unlawful transfer or possession of a machinegun.

The seriousness of Mosqueda's crimes is further compounded by the fact that he operated without a Federal Firearms License. The law mandates that individuals dealing in firearm sales must possess this license to ensure the traceability of firearms and to prevent the dissemination of illegal weapons. By forgoing this crucial step, Mosqueda bypassed the systems meant to protect public safety.

The case was investigated by the ATF as part of a concerted effort to crack down on unlicensed firearm dealings. The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada prosecuted the case. In light of this event, authorities urge anyone with information on illegal gun activity to report to the ATF at 1-800-ATF-GUNS or through the ReportIt mobile app.