News Releases and Statements

Between May 2021 and January 2023, the U.S. Navy seized the weapons, which included more than 9,000 rifles, 284 machine guns, approximately 194 rocket launchers, more than 70 anti-tank guided missiles, and more than 700,000 rounds of ammunition, during routine maritime security operations conducted in and around the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

Cesar Ignacio Perez-Barrios, 48, of Santa Cruz, Sonora, Mexico, was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. Perez-Barrios pleaded guilty to smuggling goods from the United States.

Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Kansas City Taekuk Cho and Acting United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard has sentenced Donald Greuter, Jr., 57, of Upland, Nebraska on June 29 to a term of 114 months’ imprisonment following his conviction for being a felon in possession of firearms.

Jesus Alberto Olivares, 32, was sentenced July 6 by U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo, who ordered him to serve 75 months in federal prison less than one year after he served a sentence for a drug distribution conspiracy.

A federal judge sentenced Miguel Armando Castro, of Phoenix, to 51 months in prison followed by supervised release for attempting to smuggle firearms and ammunition into Mexico.

Tamufor Nchumuluh St. Michael, 42, of Rosedale, received the federal prison sentence May 16 in the U.S. District Court in Baltimore for conspiracy and violating the Arms Export Control Act by sending firearms, ammunition and other military-type items from the United States to Nigeria without obtaining a license from the U.S. Department of State.

The FGR apprehended Michel Bacasegua-Barriga after extensive bilateral cooperation between the United States and Mexico. In addition to Bacasegua-Barriga’s arrest, the operation resulted in the seizure of firearms and ammunition.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ross Roggio, 54, of Stroudsburg, arranged for Kurdish soldiers to abduct and detain the victim at a Kurdish military compound.

Brenda Belinda Barba, 33, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for exporting pistols to Mexico from the United States. She will also serve three years of supervised release. At the hearing, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez heard additional evidence regarding WhatsApp messages Barba sent on the morning of her arrest to negotiate the firearm purchases and transport.

Roberto Lugardo Moreno Jr., 42, of Harlingen, pleaded guilty to aiding the smuggling of a firearm into Mexico knowing it was intended for members of the Gulf Cartel.

A Mexican national was recently sentenced to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a semiautomatic firearm as a result of an investigation by HSI after USBP requested assistance for a traffic stop involving a Mexican national illegally in possession of several firearms.

A jury convicted Robert Nicholas Hansen, 43, of Hospers, of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; two counts of distribution of methamphetamine; and one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm (one gun) on Nov. 3, 2022, following a joint HSI investigation. On May 18, 2022, a jury convicted Hansen of two counts of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm (17 guns).

On May 2, Jesus Alberto Olivarez, 32, admitted to attempting to export 5,680 rounds of assorted pistol ammunition.  

Wilson Nuyila Tita, 47, of Owings Mills, Maryland, received the over-five-year sentence followed by two years of supervised release on April 4 at the U.S. District Court in Baltimore.

Over the weekend of April 1, Jorge Ivan Gastelum Avila, 42, of Mexico, aka Cholo Ivan, was extradited to the United States and made his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia yesterday to face international drug trafficking and firearms charges.

The HSI Washington field office and the DCIS Mid-Atlantic field office are leading the larger investigation of the Iranian weapons-smuggling network with substantial assistance from the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command in conducting the seizure.

Jesus Soto-Parra, 31, drove into Mexico in December 2022 and Mexican authorities denied him entry due to vehicle registration issues.

Osiel Cardenas-Salinas Jr., 31, from Brownsville, was sentenced March 23 by U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. The judge sentenced Cardenas-Salinas to 100 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay a $20,000 fine.

On March 20, Jose Jesus Hernandez-Valle, 54, pleaded guilty to smuggling various calibers of firearms into Mexico.  

Victor Acosta, 47, of Tucson, further pleaded guilty to one count of smuggling goods from the United States.

On Feb. 21, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Jessica Alvarado, 31, from San Juan. She was originally charged by criminal complaint for smuggling goods from the United States and possessing approximately 499 grams of cocaine with intent to distribute.

A judge sentenced Luis Carlos Martinez-Chacon, 35, of Chihuahua, Mexico, to two years in prison and one year of supervised release on Feb. 22.

Kevin Durazo, 23, of Douglas, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting making false statements in connection with acquisition of a firearm and one count of making false statements in connection with acquisition of a firearm.

Adan Gomez-Lopez, 26, of Nogales, Mexico, pleaded guilty to one count of smuggling goods from the United States.

A joint investigation involving HSI Norfolk, the ATF, the Virginia State Police and the Isle of Wight Sheriff’s Office led to an 81-month prison sentence for Ronald Devon Matthews, 36, of Isle of Wight, Virginia.