POSTED: Wednesday, September 25, 2013 - 5:00pm
UPDATED: Wednesday, September 25, 2013 - 5:02pm
EL PASO (KTSM) — Julio Adrian Pesqueira-Galaviz, 25, was sentenced in federal court Wednesday to 15 years in federal prison for his leadership role in a firarms smuggling scheme.
El Paso's U.S. District Judge Frank Montalvo handed down the maximum sentence, followed by five years of supervised release.
According to U.S. Attorney's office, Pesqueira led a scheme to illegally purchase firearms in the United States, then smuggle them into Mexico for the purpose of arming the Sinaloa Drug Trafficking Organization.
On June 26, Pesqueira pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to make a false statement during the purchase of a firearm; one count of false statement during the purchase of a firearm; and, one count of conspiracy to transfer a firearm for use in a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime.
Pesqueira admitted that he purchased firearms and provided money to people so they could purchase firearms from El Paso area gun dealers. They bought weapons including a .50 caliber rifle and various military style semi-automatic firearms including, AK-47's and AR-15's.
Pesqueira was the first of 11 others charged in this case to be sentenced.