SAN ANTONIO - A 44-year old Mexican man pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to one count each of conspiracy to obtain firearms by making false statements, and conspiracy to smuggle firearms into Mexico. U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, Western District of Texas, announced the plea; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted the investigation jointly with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Ernesto Tornel Olvera-Garza of Monterrey, Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. Judge Royal Furgeson; Olvera-Garza now faces up to 14-years imprisonment.
According to the facts filed in the case, Olvera-Garza conspired to buy guns using "straw purchasers" and then he smuggled those guns to Mexico. Since his temporary visa did not allow him to legally buy guns in the United States, Olvera-Garza instead paid people in the United States to buy guns for him and lied about who the guns were for.
Olvera-Garza first began gun trafficking, primarily in hunting rifles, in June 2005. However, between 2006 and the time of his arrest in October 2007, he trafficked in high-powered, high-capacity handguns and assault rifles, such as the FN 57 caliber pistol and the FNH PS90 rifle. Olvera-Garza organized and led the gun-smuggling conspiracy, which included at least nine other individuals who purchased firearms on his behalf. More than 50 weapons were purchased and smuggled to Mexico as part of this ring. One of Olvera-Garza's smuggled FN 57 pistols was recovered in Mexico after it was used in a running gun battle where two Mexican soldiers were killed.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Mexican national pleads guilty to smuggling firearms to Mexico (http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/0808/080826sanantonio.htm - broken link)
Surely there was an unemployed American gang banger that would have done this job.
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