MCALLEN, Texas — A former south Texas police recruit will spend the following four-and-a-half years in jail following his conviction for smuggling items from the United States into Mexico. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Hidalgo County Constable’s Office investigated the case.
On Aug. 31, a federal pass judgement on sentenced Pedro Cruz Almeida Jr., 22, of Pharr, to serve 50 months in jail instantly adopted via 3 years of supervised unlock.
According to court docket paperwork, on Feb. 3, Almeida used to be using a purple Hyundai Elantra when government performed a site visitors prevent. During a seek, they found out 600 rounds of .50 caliber ammunition within the car. Almeida admitted he supposed to switch the ammunition to a person ready on the port of access using a car with a Tamaulipas, Mexico, registration number plate.
In Mexico, he won money to reserve the ammunition. Almeida admitted he ordered ammunition on roughly 30 events during the last yr.
On Feb. 9, brokers therefore seized an extra 300 rounds of .50 caliber ammunition postmarked to Almeida.
Almeida pleaded responsible April 25. At the time of the plea, he knowledgeable the court docket he used to be attending a local police academy on the time of his arrest.
At his listening to, the court docket heard proof referring to Almeida’s level of involvement within the smuggling scheme and the way he done his function within the scheme whilst concurrently attending the police academy. In handing down the sentence, the court docket famous how Almeida — being from the world — knew how unhealthy the amount and form of ammunition could be in cartel participants’ palms.
Previously launched on bond, officers took Almeida into custody following his sentencing. He will stay in custody pending switch to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be decided within the close to long term.
“The sentencing of a former south Texas police recruit sends a stern message that those who purchase, transport and facilitate the smuggling of ammunition will face the consequences,” mentioned HSI San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “Targeting those involved in circumventing our nation’s firearms and ammunition laws remains a top priority for HSI.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter I. Brostowin and Lee Fry for the Southern District of Texas, prosecuted the case.
HSI is the most important investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), accountable for investigating transnational crime and threats, in particular the ones felony organizations that exploit the worldwide infrastructure wherein global business, go back and forth, and finance transfer. HSI’s personnel of greater than 8,700 workers is composed of greater than 6,000 particular brokers assigned to 237 towns all through the United States, and 93 in another country places in 56 nations. HSI’s global presence represents DHS’ biggest investigative regulation enforcement presence out of the country and one of the most biggest global footprints in U.S. regulation enforcement.
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