DELAND, FL.The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Friday that six DeLand males who were found to be trafficking firearms to Mexican criminal gangs were sentenced.
“The case came under scrutiny in May 2023 after ATF agents started looking into the trafficking ring operating out of Central Florida,” USAO officials said in a release.
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According to investigators, the conspirators purchased high-caliber firearms in the United States to resell to the cartels; among the weapons they trafficked were anti-material and armor-piercing weaponry.
For instance, Barett was one of about 11 weapons that this group smuggled.According to the announcement, 50 caliber rifles can penetrate and disable cars, airplanes, boats, and even some forms of armored vehicle protection. They can also fire an extremely precise, heavy, and fast-moving projectile that can defeat all individually worn body armor.
Investigators also claimed that cartels are very interested in the guns because they allow them maintain control over vast areas.
According to USAO officials, at least one of the weapons was discovered in Mexico following a deadly gunfight between Mexican law police and cartel members in March 2023.
The identities of the six guys that were part of the trafficking network in Central Florida were as follows:
| Name | Charges | No. of Firearms Purchased | Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angel Velazquez Delgado, 34 | Firearms trafficking and straw purchasing | 10 | 9 years |
| Jesus Hernandez, 32 | Straw purchasing | 10 | 3 years, 10 months |
| Edgar Jimenez, 30 | Straw purchasing | 5 | 3 years |
| Jesus Paulino, 27 | Straw purchasing | 4 | 2 years |
| Jonathan Borja, 23 | Straw purchasing | 2 | 1 year, 6 months |
| Jesus Andres, 28 | Making a false statement on firearm transaction record | 2 | 1 year, 6 months |
According to Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard of Tampa Field Division, breaking up this guns trafficking organization located in Central Florida is a major victory for public safety in both Mexico and America. As a notoriously violent transnational criminal organization that has been classified as a foreign terrorist organization, the (Jalisco New Generation Cartel) now has less fuel for its violent criminal activities.
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