An Orange, Texas resident with a prior felony conviction has been indicted on federal drug and firearms charges in the Eastern District of Texas. Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs announced that Mario Peeples, 35, was charged by a federal grand jury this week.
Peeples faces multiple counts including being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a controlled substance on premises where children are present.
According to the indictment, authorities allege that Peeples was found in February and July 2025 with three firearms and methamphetamine intended for distribution. Federal law prohibits individuals with felony convictions from owning or possessing firearms.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America, which aims to use resources from the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and address violent crime. The initiative combines efforts from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
If convicted on all charges, Peeples could face up to 30 years in federal prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is investigating the case along with the Beaumont Police Department and Orange Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tommy Coleman is prosecuting.
“A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” stated officials.
