Mexican woman sentenced in South Texas to 6 ½ years for attempting to export ammunition to Mexico

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — A Mexican woman living in South Texas was sentenced Friday to 6 ½ years in federal prison following her conviction for attempting to export 6,000 rounds of ammunition and one AK-47 assault rifle.

This sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney, Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas. This investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from the Cameron County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office.

U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen sentenced Rosa Melendez-Jimenez, 53, from Mexico, to 78 months imprisonment. Since she is not a U.S. citizen, she is expected to face deportation proceedings upon her release from federal prison. Melendez-Jimenez was convicted in a jury trial in May. 

According to court documents, the jury heard that law enforcement suspected that ammunition may be unlawfully exported at the Gateway International Bridge. Cameron County investigators conducted surveillance and stopped Pedro Ramirez-Aguirre who possessed a dolly loaded with two black duffle bags. The bags were found to contain a total of 2,500 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammunition, 1,000 rounds of .223-caliber ammunition, one AK-47 assault rifle, one large-capacity .223-calber magazine, two 7.62 x 39mm magazines, and tactical gear. 

Law enforcement followed the vehicle that dropped Ramirez-Aguirre off at the bridge which led them to the home of Melendez-Jimenez. The investigation continued and HSI special agents soon recovered a third duffle bag in the alley behind her home. That bag was found to contain another 2,500 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammunition.

Melendez-Jimenez admitted she had received all three bags with the intent of delivering them to Ramirez-Aguirre for unlawful export to Mexico.

Melendez-Jimenez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Israel Cano III and David Coronado, Southern District of Texas, are prosecuting this case.