ARIZONA NEWS

Mexican man pleads guilty after being arrested in Arizona for gun smuggling charges

Mar 31, 2024, 11:00 AM | Updated: 12:30 pm

Man from Mexico pleads guilty to smuggling guns out of U.S....

A man from Mexico pleaded guilty to smuggling firearms from the U.S. into Mexico, Arizona authorities announced last week. (Facebook File Photo/Maricopa County Superior Court)

(Facebook File Photo/Maricopa County Superior Court)

PHOENIX — A man from Mexico pleaded guilty to smuggling firearms from the U.S. into Mexico, Arizona authorities announced last week.

Jesus Angel Vasquez Balganon, 33, admitted to smuggling goods and international money laundering earlier this month, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.

He admitted to exporting various firearms, ammunition and weapons components from March 2018 to January 2021, prosecutors said.

Weapons like these can only be exported with a valid license, which Vasquez Balganon did not have, prosecutors added.

When did officials catch the man from Mexico accused of smuggling weapons?

Authorities arrested Vasquez Balganon in Nogales on April 6, 2021, while he was in a vehicle headed to Mexico, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.

Officers with Customs and Border Protection allegedly found a hidden shopping bag with nine 30-round AR-15 5.56 caliber high-capacity magazines in the vehicle.

Vasquez Balganon admitted he knew he was prohibited from taking the magazines into Mexico, prosecutors said.

He also allegedly told officers he expected to be paid $100 to transport the weaponry from the U.S. to Mexico.

Prosecutors said Vasquez Balganon also tried to export 67 firearms, including:

  • A machine gun.
  • An AK-103 style firearm.
  • A Century Arms WASR rifle.
  • An FN SCAR 17 rifle.
  • 20,000 rounds of ammunition and ammunition links.
  • 208 magazines.

Some of these firearms were recovered in Mexico, prosecutors said.

Where did the money laundering charges come from?

Additionally, Vasquez Balganon admitted to transferring $20,680 from a U.S. bank to a Mexican bank, prosecutors said.

These funds were to be used to pay for the smuggling of firearms and weapon components into Mexico, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.

A judge is scheduled to sentence him on May 23, prosecutors said.

If he is convicted, he could face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for smuggling goods out of the U.S.

He could also face additional penalties if convicted of money laundering. That comes with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Arizona News

fentanyl pills, fentanyl bust Phoenix...

KTAR.com

Weekend Wrap: Here are the biggest Phoenix news stories from Feb. 7-9

Here are some of the top Valley news stories from Feb. 7-9, including a Phoenix man being pulled over with more than 100,000 fentanyl pills.

3 hours ago

Economists foresee labor shortages in construction and agriculture as a result of President Donald ...

Matthew DeWees and Katrina Michalak/Cronkite News

Donald Trump’s mass deportations could mean higher costs and labor shortages in Arizona

Deportations ordered by President Trump could hit Arizona’s agriculture and construction sectors hard, pushing up prices for shoppers.

7 hours ago

Immigration Arizona criminal charges 565 people USAO...

Payne Moses

More than 500 charged with immigration-related crime in Arizona over recent 2-week period

From Jan. 21-Feb. 3, a total of 565 people were charged with illegal immigration activity by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona.

9 hours ago

Two Valley freeway ramps will be closed for the next two months....

Kevin Stone

2 Valley on-ramps closing for 2 months as part of freeway improvement projects

A couple of metro Phoenix freeway ramps are closing for the next two months as part of ongoing improvement projects.

13 hours ago

Honeywell Aerospace...

Collin Huguley and Jeff Gifford/Phoenix Business Journal

Phoenix-based Honeywell Aerospace to go its own way amid company split

Phoenix-based Honeywell Aerospace Technologies is going to become a separate entity now that Honeywell International Inc. plans to follow through with a major shake-up.

14 hours ago

fatal shooting southeast Phoenix one man dead...

Payne Moses

Police investigating fatal shooting that left 1 man dead in southeast Phoenix

Phoenix police are investigating a fatal shooting in southeast Phoenix on Friday that left one man dead. The incident is being viewed as an act of self-defense.

22 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Collins Comfort Masters

Collins Comfort Masters: Your go-to plumbing experts in Arizona

Collins Comfort Masters, a trusted name in HVAC, water and plumbing since 1985, is you go-to plumbers for the residents of Phoenix and the Valley.

...

The UPS Store

How The UPS Store is giving back to the community

PHOENIX -- As 2024 nears a close, The UPS Store is looking to give back to the Arizona community with the holiday season approaching.

...

Day & Night Air Conditioning, Heating and Plumbing

Why a Heating Tune-Up is Essential Before Winter

PHOENIX, AZ — With cooler weather on the horizon, making sure your heating system is prepped and ready can make all the difference in staying comfortable this winter.

Mexican man pleads guilty after being arrested in Arizona for gun smuggling charges