Phoenix woman sentenced to over 7 years in prison for money laundering, possessing a machine gun

PHOENIX — A Phoenix woman has been sentenced to over 7 years in prison for possessing a machine gun and conspiring to commit money laundering, authorities said.

Cynthia Solano, 40, was sentenced to 87 months in prison this week, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.

She pleaded guilty to charges related to her involvement in a transnational firearm smuggling organization on Aug. 14, 2024, prosecutors said.

Details about Phoenix woman charged with firearm smuggling, more

Solano’s sentencing stems from crimes she committed between February 2022 and January 2023.

During this time, she conspired to conceal the proceeds from sales of firearms trafficked from the U.S. to Canada, prosecutors said.

Solano also used the proceeds from these illegal transactions to purchase more firearms.

When was woman involved in firearm smuggling, machine gun possession caught?

Solano was initially caught while driving near Springfield, Illinois on Jan. 3, 2023.

Troopers with Illinois State Police found 87 firearms while searching her vehicle. The guns were individually wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper.

One of her guns had a machine gun conversion device, known as a “switch,” which converts a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic firearm, prosecutors said.

Phoenix woman who smuggled guns wrapped in Christmas paper fled to Mexico

Solano was later arraigned in Arizona and placed on pretrial release.

However, she removed her electronic monitoring device and fled to Mexico.

The U.S. Marshals’ Office later enabled her capture by law enforcement in Mexico. From there, she was brought to the U.S. to face prosecution.

Related

Mexican man pleads guilty after being arrested in Arizona for gun smuggling chargesMexican man sentenced to over 7 years in prison for smuggling guns from ArizonaArizona man indicted after allegedly attempting to smuggle firearms into MexicoLuxury condo garages for vehicle storage coming to ScottsdalePhoenix stabbing victim dies at hospital, suspect chargedSerial rapist sentenced in Maricopa County