Source: Office of United States Attorneys
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Buna man has been convicted of federal firearms and drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Leotis Cornelius McMahon, 48, was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on February 5, 2025.
According to information presented in court, in 2023, law enforcement was investigating McMahon for distributing narcotics within Southeast Texas. After a prolonged surveillance operation, a traffic stop was conducted on McMahon where he was found to be transporting large amounts of marijuana, cocaine, and nearly a kilogram of “actual” methamphetamine. After the traffic stop, a search warrant for McMahon’s residence in Buna was obtained and executed. Law enforcement discovered materials used in the distribution of narcotics as well as four separate firearms, one being an AR style pistol. One of the firearms seized from McMahon’s residence was stolen.
McMahon was operating what was described as a mobile illegal drug shop. The amounts of controlled substances, along with the tools used in trafficking such as scales and bags used for distribution, seized from McMahon indicated that he was dealing significant quantities of drugs for profit.
Further investigation revealed McMahon is a convicted felon and prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
McMahon was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 10, 2024. He faces up to life in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations; Lumberton Police Department; Jasper County Sheriff’s Office; Beaumont Police Department; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Lee and John B. Ross.
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