Ignacio Villalobos, 24, wanted by feds.
A federal indictment charged public officials of village with straw buying firearms to be exported to Mexico.
By H. Nelson Goodson
March 10, 2011
Village of Columbus, New Mexico - On Thursday, U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzalez announced that federal agents from several agencies executed warrants and arrested 11 suspects, which included village officials. Those arrested were Columbus Mayor Eddie Espinoza, 51, Police Chief Angelo Vega, 40, and Trustee Jose Blas Gutierrez, 30, including eight other suspects for gun-trafficking and conspiring to smuggle and transport weapons into Mexico from the U.S., according to the 84-count indictment released by U.S. Attorney Gonzalez.
The indictment charged Mayor Espinoza with one count of conspiracy, three counts of firearms smuggling, and three counts of making false statements in connection with purchasing firearms. Chief Vega was charged with 17 counts of making false statements in connection with buying firearms, 19 counts of firearms smuggling and one count of conspiracy. Trustee Vega was charged with one count of conspiracy, according to the federal indictment.
Federal authorities also arrested the following suspects from Columbus, Alberto Rivera, Miguel Carrillo, Ricardo Gutierrez, and Vicente Carreon. Eva Lucie Gutierrez from Las Cruces, Manuel Ortega from Palomas, Mexico and Ian Garland, the owner of Chaparral Guns Shop from Chaparral, New Mexico were detained as well. Ignacio Villalobos from Columbus remains at large and is being sought on a federal warrant.
On Friday, the suspects are expected to be arraigned at the federal district court in Las Cruces, New Mexico, according to Gonzalez. The two year investigation led the feds to siezed 200 weapons, including 9mm guns, 40-AK 47 type pistols and 1,580 rounds of 7.62 Cal. ammunition with 30 high-capacity magazines.
Twelve weapons were recovered in Mexico and were traced back to the suspects. The weapons were bought at the Chaparral Guns owned by Garland. The weapons were purchased by "straw" buyers who falsified information to buy them.
Those charged with one count each of conspirarcy to smuggle weapons are facing 5 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines, if convicted.
Those charged with making false statements to purchase firearms are facing 5 years in prison and $250,000 in fines, if convicted on each count.
Those indicted for concealing and transporting weapons into Mexico are facing 10 years in prison and $250,000 in fines, if convicted.
The New Mexico State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration were involved in the arrests and investigation.
Charges Against Defendants:
Ignacio Villalobos, 24, of Columbus: conspiracy and firearms smuggling;
Blas Gutierrez, 30, of Columbus: conspiracy, making false statements in connection with acquisition of firearms, firearms smuggling;
Eddie Espinoza, 51, of Columbus: conspiracy, making false statements in connection with acquisition of firearms, and firearms smuggling;
Angelo Vega, 40, of Columbus: conspiracy;
Ian Garland, 50, of Chaparral, N.M.: conspiracy, making false statements in connection with acquisition of firearms, and firearms smuggling;
Alberto Rivera, 40, of Columbus: conspiracy, making false statements in connection with acquisition of firearms, and firearms smuggling;
Miguel Carrillo, 30, of Columbus: conspiracy, making false statements in connection with acquisition of firearms, and firearms smuggling;
Ricardo Gutierrez, 25, of Columbus: conspiracy, making false statements in connection with acquisition of firearms, and firearms smuggling;
Manuel Ortega, 25, of Palomas, Mexico: conspiracy and firearms smuggling;
Vicente Carreon, 26, of Columbus: conspiracy and firearms smuggling; and,
Eva Lucie Gutierrez, 21, of Las Cruces: conspiracy and making false statements in connection with acquisition of firearms.
John E. Murphy, U.S. Attorney for the Western District Branch and his El Paso Office staff also assisted with the investigation. The Chihuahua State Police in Palomas, Mexico, and the Secretariat of Public Security in Ciudad Juarez Chihuahua, Mexico, also supported the case.
The U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), New Mexico State Police, the Las Cruces Police Department, the El Paso (Texas) Police Department also assisted in the case, reported the Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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A federal indictment charged public officials of village with straw buying firearms to be exported to Mexico.
By H. Nelson Goodson
March 10, 2011
Village of Columbus, New Mexico - On Thursday, U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzalez announced that federal agents from several agencies executed warrants and arrested 11 suspects, which included village officials. Those arrested were Columbus Mayor Eddie Espinoza, 51, Police Chief Angelo Vega, 40, and Trustee Jose Blas Gutierrez, 30, including eight other suspects for gun-trafficking and conspiring to smuggle and transport weapons into Mexico from the U.S., according to the 84-count indictment released by U.S. Attorney Gonzalez.
The indictment charged Mayor Espinoza with one count of conspiracy, three counts of firearms smuggling, and three counts of making false statements in connection with purchasing firearms. Chief Vega was charged with 17 counts of making false statements in connection with buying firearms, 19 counts of firearms smuggling and one count of conspiracy. Trustee Vega was charged with one count of conspiracy, according to the federal indictment.
Federal authorities also arrested the following suspects from Columbus, Alberto Rivera, Miguel Carrillo, Ricardo Gutierrez, and Vicente Carreon. Eva Lucie Gutierrez from Las Cruces, Manuel Ortega from Palomas, Mexico and Ian Garland, the owner of Chaparral Guns Shop from Chaparral, New Mexico were detained as well. Ignacio Villalobos from Columbus remains at large and is being sought on a federal warrant.
On Friday, the suspects are expected to be arraigned at the federal district court in Las Cruces, New Mexico, according to Gonzalez. The two year investigation led the feds to siezed 200 weapons, including 9mm guns, 40-AK 47 type pistols and 1,580 rounds of 7.62 Cal. ammunition with 30 high-capacity magazines.
Twelve weapons were recovered in Mexico and were traced back to the suspects. The weapons were bought at the Chaparral Guns owned by Garland. The weapons were purchased by "straw" buyers who falsified information to buy them.
Those charged with one count each of conspirarcy to smuggle weapons are facing 5 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines, if convicted.
Those charged with making false statements to purchase firearms are facing 5 years in prison and $250,000 in fines, if convicted on each count.
Those indicted for concealing and transporting weapons into Mexico are facing 10 years in prison and $250,000 in fines, if convicted.
The New Mexico State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration were involved in the arrests and investigation.
Charges Against Defendants:
Ignacio Villalobos, 24, of Columbus: conspiracy and firearms smuggling;
Blas Gutierrez, 30, of Columbus: conspiracy, making false statements in connection with acquisition of firearms, firearms smuggling;
Eddie Espinoza, 51, of Columbus: conspiracy, making false statements in connection with acquisition of firearms, and firearms smuggling;
Angelo Vega, 40, of Columbus: conspiracy;
Ian Garland, 50, of Chaparral, N.M.: conspiracy, making false statements in connection with acquisition of firearms, and firearms smuggling;
Alberto Rivera, 40, of Columbus: conspiracy, making false statements in connection with acquisition of firearms, and firearms smuggling;
Miguel Carrillo, 30, of Columbus: conspiracy, making false statements in connection with acquisition of firearms, and firearms smuggling;
Ricardo Gutierrez, 25, of Columbus: conspiracy, making false statements in connection with acquisition of firearms, and firearms smuggling;
Manuel Ortega, 25, of Palomas, Mexico: conspiracy and firearms smuggling;
Vicente Carreon, 26, of Columbus: conspiracy and firearms smuggling; and,
Eva Lucie Gutierrez, 21, of Las Cruces: conspiracy and making false statements in connection with acquisition of firearms.
John E. Murphy, U.S. Attorney for the Western District Branch and his El Paso Office staff also assisted with the investigation. The Chihuahua State Police in Palomas, Mexico, and the Secretariat of Public Security in Ciudad Juarez Chihuahua, Mexico, also supported the case.
The U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), New Mexico State Police, the Las Cruces Police Department, the El Paso (Texas) Police Department also assisted in the case, reported the Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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