As part of the efforts that United States authorities are making to stop arms trafficking to Mexico, a judge sentenced Yuendry Rodríguez Hilario to 13 years and 4 months in federal prison.
In accordance with a statement issued by the United States Attorney’s Office in the District of Floridathe 29-year-old Ohio resident was convicted of conspiracy to traffic firearms, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and money laundering.
Rodríguez Hilario was arrested on March 2, 2023 along with an accomplice, Saleh Yusuf Salehfollowing an undercover operation carried out by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
According to court records, Since 2021, undercover agents have posed as members of a Mexican cartelso they were introduced to Rodríguez Hilario.
During the investigation, the defendant and the agents negotiated the purchase of AR-15 rifles and grenade launchers. Rodríguez Hilario also offered them fentanyl to make pills.
I would deliver 40 rifles
In November 2022, an undercover agent told Rodríguez Hilario that his associates in Mexico were “fighting and losing,” so they needed to purchase more firearms.
March 2, 2023 The accused arranged for the delivery of 40 firearms multicaliber AM-15 to undercover agents. Saleh, who acquired and assembled the parts to manufacture the weapons, arrived at the meeting with Rodríguez Hilario and the agents.
After an undercover officer inspected one of the boxes of firearms, both Rodríguez Hilario and his accomplice were arrested. Saleh Yusuf Saleh was sentenced on November 30, 2023 before US District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle to 5 years and 8 months in prison.
“It took a joint team more than two years to investigate this complex case and bring these suspects to justice.”said Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Tampa Field Division, Kirk Howard. “Disrupting firearms trafficking schemes like this is a priority for us,” he added.
Keep reading:
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