Guilty Plea in Nevada Firearms Trafficking Case

A man from Nevada has pled guilty to charges related to the unlawful purchase of high-powered firearms and ammunition intended for sale to Mexican drug trafficking organizations. This admission of guilt was announced by officials from the Justice Department.

Luis Alberto Osorio is accused of collaborating with others from April 2020 through September of the previous year to acquire 140 firearms, along with magazines and ammunition. These were reportedly meant for members of violent drug cartels in Mexico, with plans to sell them across the border for a profit, as stated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Nevada.

Court documents reveal that the firearms included high caliber and long-range weapons, such as the M2-SLR .50 BMG by Ohio Ordnance Works, Barrett rifles, and other notable models like the FN Herstal M249S and SCAR17S.

In addition, Osorio acknowledged his role in illegally employing individuals in the U.S. at his mining company in Nevada.

Osorio faced several charges: one count each for straw purchasing a firearm, firearms trafficking, harboring aliens, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

If he is convicted on all counts, he could face up to 70 years behind bars.

“Gun trafficking networks fuel violent cartels that terrorize border communities and facilitate the flow of illegal drugs into neighboring sectors,” commented Sigal Chata, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for Nevada. “By disrupting this pipeline and holding the defendants accountable, we’re directly undermining the operations of these dangerous criminals.”

Sentencing for Osorio is set for February. Meanwhile, Jonathan Sherwin, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Las Vegas, noted the grave consequences of trafficking military-grade firearms, saying it empowers violence and strengthens criminal networks, posing threats to communities on both sides of the border.

This case highlights the ongoing efforts by the Homeland Security Task Force, which was established by an executive order from President Donald Trump during his first day in office last year.

“In organized crime and drug trafficking, firearms and drugs go hand in hand,” remarked David S. Oleski, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Los Angeles Field Division, which oversees Nevada. He emphasized the commitment of the DEA and its partners to use all available resources to combat threats to public health and safety stemming from drug and firearms trafficking.