A group consisting of two undocumented immigrants and a Texas man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in South Texas for their involvement in firearms and drug trafficking activities.
Three individuals from Laredo, namely Fernando Patinio, Albert Garcia-Guajardo, and Jose Hernandez-Garza, have been indicted on 14 counts. The charges against them include the sale of cocaine and a significant quantity of weapons, which notably includes multiple machine guns. These allegations were made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
If Garcia-Guajardo and Patinio are proven guilty, they could be sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in federal prison. In the event of their conviction for conspiracy to traffic machine guns during drug trafficking activities and the use of a machine gun in drug trafficking, the maximum penalty they could face is life imprisonment. On the other hand, if Hernandez-Garza is found guilty of being in the country illegally and possessing a firearm, he could be sentenced to a maximum of 15 years in prison.
During a month-long undercover investigation, authorities were able to uncover the illicit activities of the group. Patinio and Garcia-Guajardo were found to have sold two machine guns, specifically a model 22 Glock with a machine gun conversion device, on January 2nd. It was also discovered that they had made arrangements to sell cocaine and another machine gun in the subsequent weeks.
On January 31, authorities conducted a search warrant in Laredo, Texas. During the operation, they discovered additional firearms, narcotics, and ammunition. According to Ganjei, the undercover investigation led to the confiscation of two machine guns, eight pistols, various drum-style magazines, and bags containing cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana.
According to Texas law enforcement, Garcia-Guajardo and Hernandez-Garza were in the U.S. unlawfully, and one of them had previously received two removal orders, with the most recent one issued in July 2024. The allegations state that Hernandez-Garza had originally held a B1/B2 visa, but it had already expired at the time of his arrest.
In addition to potentially being sentenced to a lengthy prison term, each person may also be required to pay fines of up to $250,000, according to Border Report.
