DEL RIO, Texas – A Dallas man was indicted in a federal court in Del Rio with four counts related to smuggling firearms into Mexico from the United States.
According to court documents, Santiago Ramirez, 26, was subjected to a vehicle inspection at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry in the early morning of Oct. 30. Customs and Border Protection Officers noticed that the interior sidewall of the trailer Ramirez was hauling appeared to have been altered. Further inspection allegedly revealed 187 firearms wrapped in cellophane and hidden in the trailer’s wall.
Ramirez made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew H. Watters on Oct. 31. He is charged with one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms; one count of trafficking firearms; one count of conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States; and one count of smuggling goods from the United States. If convicted, Ramirez faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison for each of the two charges related to trafficking firearms. The smuggling of goods conspiracy charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, while the remaining smuggling of goods count could result in up to 10 years imprisonment. All four counts also carry fines of up to $250,000 each. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
ATF is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Garland and Zachary Bird are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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