Texas man pleads guilty to smuggling gun linked to deadly Mexico kidnapping
today
BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) — A Texas man pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to purchasing a gun for a Mexican drug cartel that was linked to the deadly kidnapping of four Americans.
Roberto Lugardo Moreno Jr., 42, of Harlingen, Texas, appeared before a federal judge in Brownsville and entered his guilty plea to charges of straw purchasing and smuggling a firearm.
Lugardo Moreno bought a multi-caliber AR-style pistol at a pawn shop in 2019 and lied on a form stating he was the buyer when he purchased it for a Gulf Cartel member in Mexico, according to a federal complaint.
“All too often, firearms are trafficked into Mexico where they end up in the hands of criminals who use them to murder, rob and extort innocent people,” U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani said in a statement. “This case is a textbook example of the dangers involved when criminals transport weapons into Mexico.”
More:
https://apnews.com/article/americans-kidnapped-mexico-gun-7e5f31acf317745b37e94873cc0a198b
~ ~ ~
Harlingen man pleads guilty to arming Gulf Cartel with firearm linked to American’s death
By Xavier Alvarez -May 17, 2023
Harlingen man pleaded guilty to smuggling firearms linked to a murder and kidnapping incident involving an American citizen that occurred on March 3 in Matamoros, Mexico, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Roberto Lugardo Moreno Jr., 42, pleaded guilty Wednesday to aiding the smuggling of a firearm into Mexico knowing that it was intended for members of the Gulf Cartel.
“All too often, firearms are trafficked into Mexico where they end up in the hands of criminals who use them to murder, rob and extort innocent people,” U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani said in a news release. “Moreno helped smuggle a firearm for criminals he knew were in the Gulf Cartel who then allegedly used it to murder and kidnap American citizens.”
Following the March 3 incident involving the murders and kidnapping of U.S. citizens, Mexican authorities obtained a gun that had been purchased by Moreno on Oct. 17, 2019.
Homeland Security Investigations in Harlingen learned on March 14 that a DB-15 multi-caliber AR style pistol with the serial number DBIS94494 had been recovered by Mexican authorities, according to the criminal complaint.
More:
https://myrgv.com/local-news/2023/05/17/harlingen-man-pleads-guilty-to-arming-gulf-cartel-with-firearm-linked-to-americans-death/
~ ~ ~
Just what cartel people need: more automatic weapons.
