Police arrested five people in south Texas on suspicion of a human trafficking scheme that involved shipping military-style weapons to Mexican cartels, according to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release on Monday.
In a press release, the Department of Justice indicted Gerardo Rafael Perez Jr., Francisco Alejandro Benavidez, Mark Anthony Trevino, Luis Matias Real, and Antonio Osiel Casares for allegedly participating in the purchase and transportation of firearms. announced. read.
Five people arrested in South Texas on suspicion of trafficking military-style firearms to Mexican drug cartels https://t.co/YWhLIcSgMR @ATFH @HSI_San Antonio
— U.S. Attorney WDTX (@USAO_WDTX) March 25, 2024
In court documents, Perez’s organization is suspected of employing Benavidez and Trevino as straw buyers purchasing weapons from various sources in Texas, the Justice Department said. A straw purchase is when one party illegally purchases a weapon for another party. according to Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This indirect transaction occurs because the party wanting the weapon is unlikely to pass a background check. according to American Concealed Carry Association. (Related: Department of Justice accuses Apple of inciting ‘social stigma’ with green bubble text for Android)
According to the Department of Justice, Perez’s organization allegedly obtained a cache of more than 100 weapons from unlicensed dealers and federal firearms licensees for which straw buyers made false statements.
According to the Justice Department, “high-powered firearms allegedly obtained by Mr. Perez’s organization included an FNH SCAR rifle, a Barrett .50 caliber rifle, an FNH M294S rifle, and an M1919 rifle.” Leal allegedly provided the cash for the transaction, and Casares allegedly smuggled the weapons into Mexico and returned to the United States with the cash.
All five defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to traffic in firearms and one count of conspiracy to purchase straw firearms. The first charge could carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, while the second charge could carry a maximum sentence of 25 years. Perez, Casares, Real, and Benavidez are also charged with conspiracy to smuggle goods out of the United States and conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The first charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and the second charge carries a possible maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, the press release said.
Mr. Perez was also charged with two counts of gun trafficking, and Mr. Real, Mr. Benavidez and Mr. Trevino were charged with falsifying information when purchasing a firearm and making a straw purchase, according to the Justice Department. Falsifying information can be punishable by 10 years in prison. All charges carry a maximum fine of $250,000.
