TULSA, OK - An illegal immigrant with a criminal history and his son have been arrested and federally charged with illegally trafficking 75 firearms and ammunition following an investigation by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and other law enforcement partners.
The alleged suspects, 48-year-old Andres Avila, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, and his son, 22-year-old Anthony Avila, a Houston resident, were caught allegedly trafficking the firearms and ammunition that they purchased at area gun shows. Andres is also charged with being in the country illegally and in possession of a firearm and ammunition, according to a press release from ICE.
The investigation that uncovered what was transpiring was conducted by ICE Homeland Security Investigations Dallas, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The investigation began after special agents witnessed two people, later identified as Andreas Avila and Anthony Avila, allegedly engaging in activities consistent with straw purchasing and firearms trafficking. They were seen wearing backpacks and working together to purchase firearms, the press release said.
When their backpacks were full, it is alleged that they emptied their bags into large totes kept beneath a specific vendor's table. Court documents show that they paid cash to purchase firearms from private sellers in an attempt to avoid law enforcement detection, according to the press release.
After making several purchases and spending more than six hours at the gun show, agents reportedly observed Andres and Anthony leaving in a car with a Texas license plate. When law enforcement conducted a traffic stop, they found large quantities of bulk ammunition marked in the vehicle, consistent with ammo purchased at the gun show, ICE said.
A subsequent records check revealed that Andres is in the United States illegally and is prohibited from receiving or possessing firearms. Agents interviewed the vendors sitting at the booth where the guns were stored in totes. They explained that Andres is not legally inside the U.S. and that there were more than 75 firearms in the totes.
According to ICE, the vendors met Andres and Anthony through a Texas pawn shop and explained they would pay cash to purchase firearm magazines.
"Oftentimes, illegally trafficked firearms end up in the hands of the drug cartels, terrorists, foreign adversaries, or other bad actors," said HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard. "By working alongside our partners to uncover this scheme and seize these firearms, we've prevented a large cache of deadly weapons from potentially being used to sow chaos or fueling other illicit criminal activity or acts of violence."
The alleged suspects, 48-year-old Andres Avila, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, and his son, 22-year-old Anthony Avila, a Houston resident, were caught allegedly trafficking the firearms and ammunition that they purchased at area gun shows. Andres is also charged with being in the country illegally and in possession of a firearm and ammunition, according to a press release from ICE.
The investigation that uncovered what was transpiring was conducted by ICE Homeland Security Investigations Dallas, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The investigation began after special agents witnessed two people, later identified as Andreas Avila and Anthony Avila, allegedly engaging in activities consistent with straw purchasing and firearms trafficking. They were seen wearing backpacks and working together to purchase firearms, the press release said.
When their backpacks were full, it is alleged that they emptied their bags into large totes kept beneath a specific vendor's table. Court documents show that they paid cash to purchase firearms from private sellers in an attempt to avoid law enforcement detection, according to the press release.
After making several purchases and spending more than six hours at the gun show, agents reportedly observed Andres and Anthony leaving in a car with a Texas license plate. When law enforcement conducted a traffic stop, they found large quantities of bulk ammunition marked in the vehicle, consistent with ammo purchased at the gun show, ICE said.
A subsequent records check revealed that Andres is in the United States illegally and is prohibited from receiving or possessing firearms. Agents interviewed the vendors sitting at the booth where the guns were stored in totes. They explained that Andres is not legally inside the U.S. and that there were more than 75 firearms in the totes.
According to ICE, the vendors met Andres and Anthony through a Texas pawn shop and explained they would pay cash to purchase firearm magazines.
"Oftentimes, illegally trafficked firearms end up in the hands of the drug cartels, terrorists, foreign adversaries, or other bad actors," said HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard. "By working alongside our partners to uncover this scheme and seize these firearms, we've prevented a large cache of deadly weapons from potentially being used to sow chaos or fueling other illicit criminal activity or acts of violence."
For corrections or revisions, click here.
The opinions reflected in this article are not necessarily the opinions of LET
Comments