Opinion ID: 420816
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The guns-for-drugs deal

Text: 3 In the early 1970's Gary Peacock of Miami and Robert Hayes, Gene Hornsby and Tony Mulherin, all from Augusta, Georgia, knew each other through their mutual interest in boat racing. In late 1980 Peacock, acting as an undercover operative for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), telephoned Hayes in Augusta, informing Hayes that he was now a drug smuggler and gunrunner and asking Hayes to find him a source in Augusta for automatic weapons. Over the next few months Peacock repeatedly called Hayes to ask if Hayes had found him a gun source. Hayes was not helpful, but he mentioned Peacock's interest to their mutual friend Gene Hornsby. Once when Peacock called, Hornsby was in Hayes' store; Hornsby talked with Peacock who asked Hornsby to find him a gun source. Hornsby, like Hayes, said he would ask around; but unlike Hayes, 2 Hornsby pursued the matter. 4 Hornsby located an automatic weapon through his friend Holliday. Peacock flew to Augusta with a business associate to meet with Hornsby and Holliday about the merchandise. Peacock paid Hornsby and Holliday $1,000 for the gun. Peacock wanted more guns; Hornsby and Holliday agreed to try to find more. 5 Soon thereafter Peacock invited Tony Mulherin into the scheme. At Peacock's suggestion, the scheme grew. The Augusta group acquired semi-automatic weapons and converted them to fully automatic operation. Friends and relatives were drawn in to manufacture silencers. Tony Mulherin's brother Henry became the group's source for dynamite and explosive devices. 6 Initially the deal was guns for cash, but Peacock suggested trading guns for marijuana and cocaine. Hornsby, Holliday and Tony Mulherin agreed. More people were needed, and Tony Mulherin introduced Moore into the group to act as drug tester and distributor. Clayton agreed to furnish a landing strip and storage place for the expected drugs. 3 The group made initial deliveries of guns, silencers and explosives, then a big trade of guns for drugs was set for April 5, 1981. Hornsby, Holliday and Tony Mulherin promised to fly about 20 machine guns and 300 silencers to an airstrip near Jacksonville, Florida. They arranged for Henry Mulherin to deliver about 1,000 pounds of dynamite plus blasting caps and detonation cord to Peacock's pilot at a site near Atlanta on the same day. In return, Peacock would fly in about 2,000 pounds of marijuana to Clayton's airstrip near Augusta. They dubbed their plans Operation Flying Circus. 7 During many hours of his dealings with the Augusta group Peacock was wired and their conversations were recorded. Business associates that Peacock introduced to the group were AFT agents and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents. On April 5 when Tony Mulherin and Hornsby landed in Florida with a planeload of machine guns and silencers they were arrested. Hornsby and Clayton were arrested waiting at the airstrip in Georgia to unload the expected drugs. Other participants were soon rounded up. 8