The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) seal. (Photo by PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP via Getty Images)
A man living in the U.S. illegally and his son have been charged with trafficking more than 75 firearms and large amounts of ammunition purchased at gun shows in Texas, following a federal investigation, authorities said.
Father and son arrested
What we know:
48-year-old Andres Avila, a Mexican national, and his son, 22-year-old Houston resident Anthony Avila, were arrested after investigators with Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol observed them allegedly buying firearms in bulk, federal officials said in a news release.
Alleged trafficking method
Andres is also charged with being an undocumented immigrant in possession of firearms and ammunition, which is prohibited under federal law. According to court documents, agents saw the father and son working together at a gun show, wearing backpacks and repeatedly filling them with firearms before emptying them into large plastic totes stashed beneath a vendor’s table. Investigators said they used cash to buy guns from private sellers in an effort to avoid detection.
Vendors at the booth where the guns were stored told investigators they met the father and son through a Texas pawn shop and believed the pair were paying cash to buy firearm magazines. Agents ultimately found more than 75 firearms in the totes, according to the release.
ICE agents said the two spent more than six hours making purchases before leaving in a vehicle with Texas plates. A traffic stop later revealed bulk ammunition matching items from the gun show, authorities said.
A records check also revealed Andres Avila was in the country illegally, according to ICE officials.
Weapons for "bad actors"
What they're saying:
"Oftentimes, illegally trafficked firearms end up in the hands of the drug cartels, terrorists, foreign adversaries or other bad actors," said Travis Pickard, HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge.
He said the seizure prevented "a large cache of deadly weapons" from being used in violent crime.
What's next:
Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell is prosecuting the case.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.