Roanoke Man Pleads Guilty to Selling ‘Ghost Gun,’ Pressed Fentanyl Pills

Press Release

Julius Muse Also Orchestrated a Straw Purchase, Possessed Handgun with Obliterated Number

ROANOKE, Va. - A Roanoke man pled guilty last week to a handful of federal drug and gun charges after orchestrating the straw purchase of a firearm and selling pressed fentanyl pills and multiple firearms (including a 'ghost gun') to a confidential informant.

Julius Frederick Muse, III, 19, of Roanoke, Virginia, pled guilty last week to four counts of selling a firearm to another person knowing or having a reasonable cause to believe that person was a convicted felon, two counts of distributing fentanyl, one count of aiding and abetting a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer and one count of knowingly possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

As part of the plea agreement, the government and the defendant have agreed to recommend a sentencing range between 70 and 108 months. The final sentence will be determined by the Court at sentencing.

According to court documents, in December 2022, Muse provided cash to another person to purchase an AR-style pistol on his behalf and paid that individual with marijuana. In order to do so, the individual made a false statement on ATF Form 4473.

Later that month, Muse sold a confidential informant four pressed fentanyl pills and two firearms. Eight days later, Muse sold the same informant 27 more pressed fentanyl pills and a Polymer 80 privately-made firearm, also known as a 'Ghost Gun," which Muse claimed was "untraceable."

Muse later sold the informant four more firearms, including another AR-pattern pistol. At the time of these sales, Muse knew or had a reason to believe the informant was a convicted felon who was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Federal agents searched Muse's apartment in March of 2023 and discovered, among other items, a 9mm Hi-Point pistol with an obliterated serial number.

United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Homeland Security Investigations provided valuable support and assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee S. Brett is prosecuting the case for the United States.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Updated August 26, 2024