Four local residents sentenced after feds bust gun smuggling ring

McALLEN — A federal judge sentenced four Rio Grande Valley residents Wednesday for helping smuggle firearms to Mexican drug cartels.

The defendants were indicted in June 2008 following a federal investigation. They were charged with 13 counts related to the purchase of firearms destined for Mexican drug cartels, acting U.S. Attorney Tim Johnson announced Thursday.

Three of the defendants were sentenced to federal prison time:

>> Ramon Lancet Mariscal-Orlandes, 32, a resident alien from Mexico residing in Pharr, received seven years and three months in prison.

>> Ramon Baltazar Peña, 24, of Mission, received a two-year sentence.

>> Marc Anthony Arce, 25, of Pharr, received four years and nine months.

U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa handed down the sentences.

In addition, Pharr resident Apolonia Blanco, 21, was sentenced to four years' probation with 12 months of electronic monitoring.

During trial, prosecutors said Mariscal hired Peña, Arce and Blanco to purchase guns that were later taken into Mexico and delivered to drug cartels.

Mariscal, with the assistance of Arce, told Peña and Blanco what types and quantities of weapons to purchase in their own names.

Mariscal and Peña pleaded guilty to their criminal charges last year.

At sentencing, the court found Mariscal responsible for more than 25 firearms that were taken into Mexico. Evidence showed he had been planning to purchase 40 or more additional firearms.

All of the defendants were aware the guns were being trafficked to Mexico, according to prosecutors.

Four AR-15s recovered by Mexican officials when they raided a drug cartel stash house in Mexico were traced back to Blanco and Arce, who had purchased the guns in March and then gave them to Mariscal.

Mexican investigators recovered those firearms from the stash house along with approximately 2,000 rounds of ammunition and more than 7,000 "flash-bang" grenades.

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Jared Taylor covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4439.