In January 2023, Jessica Alvarado had hidden a shipment of weapons in the bed of the truck and planned to deliver them to a subject on the Mexican side at the Hidalgo-Reynosa international bridge. However, authorities discovered her.
Authorities noticed that the bed of the truck was abnormally raised and referred the vehicle for a secondary inspection. A search resulted in the discovery of 33 AK-47 variant rifles, three AR-15 rifles, one .22 caliber long rifle, two .45 caliber pistols and 39 ammunition magazines. Alvarado did not have a license to export firearms from the United States.
More than a year after that moment, the 33-year-old San Juan resident was sent to federal prison for trying to leave the country with three dozen AK-47 and AR-15 rifles and other weapons and ammunition, the federal prosecutor announced. Alamdar S. Hamdani.
The investigation led to a search of his residence in San Juan, where authorities also found approximately 499 grams of a packaged white powder substance that tested positive for cocaine characteristics and more than $13,000 in bulk U.S. currency.
Jessica Alvarado pleaded guilty on January 25 to smuggling goods from the United Stateswith the purpose of reducing his sentence, which could have reached 20 years.
Alvarado was allowed to remain on bail and will turn himself in at a later date to serve his sentence.
Federal District Judge Micaela Álvarez has now ordered that Alvarado serve 46 months in federal prison, immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
At the hearing, the court heard how these types of weapons are typically the ones that end up in the hands of cartel members in Mexico and the dangers that come with their use.
In sentencing, the court took note of the dangers associated with these firearms and the people they endanger. The court also heard that, at the time of the crime, Alvarado admitted to dealing cocaine on several occasions.
“Alvarado attempted to bring dangerous weapons across our southern border, which could have had devastating effects,” Hamdani said.
“This sentence should serve as a warning: put guns in the hands of others illegally and pay a high price with your freedom. An AK-47 or an AR-15 should not be in the hands of a criminal,” he continued.
““Drugs and guns are a deadly combination.”said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio.
“This sentence serves as a warning to those who attempt to export weapons to Mexico and distribute highly addictive narcotics such as cocaine.. HSI will aggressively pursue violators and hold them accountable. “This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement efforts in the Rio Grande Valley and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” he continued.
According to the Mexican government, Mexico estimated that 2.2% of the nearly 40 million guns manufactured annually in the United States are smuggled into Mexico and primarily end up in the hands of organized crime.
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