DELAND, Fla. – Six DeLand men were sentenced on Friday after they were caught trafficking firearms to Mexican drug cartels, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
In a release, USAO officials said that the case came under scrutiny in May 2023 after ATF agents began looking into the trafficking ring operating out of Central Florida.
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Investigators explained that the conspirators bought high-caliber guns in the U.S. to resell to the cartels, with the trafficked firearms including armor-piercing and anti-material weapons.
“For example, approximately 11 of the firearms trafficked by this organization included Barett .50 caliber rifles, which can expel a very accurate, heavy, and fast-moving projectile that defeats all individually worn body armor, can penetrate and disable vehicles, aircrafts, boats, and can even defeat some types of protection provided by armored vehicles,” the release reads.
In addition, investigators stated that the rifles are highly sought after by cartels to help them “control large territories.”
At least one of the firearms was found in Mexico after law enforcement in the country engaged in a fatal shootout with cartel members in March 2023, USAO officials added.
All six men involved in the Central Florida trafficking ring were identified as follows:
| Name | Charges | No. of Firearms Purchased | Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angel Velazquez Delgado, 34 | Firearms trafficking and straw purchasing | 10 | 9 years |
| Jesus Hernandez, 32 | Straw purchasing | 10 | 3 years, 10 months |
| Edgar Jimenez, 30 | Straw purchasing | 5 | 3 years |
| Jesus Paulino, 27 | Straw purchasing | 4 | 2 years |
| Jonathan Borja, 23 | Straw purchasing | 2 | 1 year, 6 months |
| Jesus Andres, 28 | Making a false statement on firearm transaction record | 2 | 1 year, 6 months |
“Dismantling this Central Florida-based firearms trafficking ring is a huge win for public safety in Mexico and America,” said Tampa Field Division’s Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. “The (Jalisco New Generation Cartel) is a notoriously brutal transnational criminal organization designated as a foreign terrorist organization that now has less fuel for its violent criminal activities.”