Mexican national convicted of smuggling guns and ammunition into Mexico

McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — A Mexican national was sentenced in McAllen to two years in federal prison for trying to smuggle several firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition into Mexico from South Texas, prosecutors said American Alamdar Hamdani.

José De Jesus Pena Dieguez, 68, pleaded guilty March 27 to attempting to smuggle firearms and ammunition on the roof of a vehicle. And it wasn't the first time he exported guns to Mexico, according to court testimony.

Dieguez attempted to enter Mexico on January 11 through the Progreso International Bridge, which leads from Progreso, Texas, to Nuevo Progreso, Mexico, with the guns on the roof rack of a Nissan Hamdani said.

A search of the vehicle by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers turned up 16 firearms, 31 firearm magazines and more than 800 rounds of ammunition, he said.

“Dieguez potentially put lives at risk for his own personal gain – intending to profit from the sale of firearms illegally taken out of the United States,” Hamdani said in March when Dieguez pleaded guilty. “These crimes not only affect our residents, but they also endanger innocent Mexican citizens.

The case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods program aimed at reducing violent crime, including gun violence.

Dieguez faced up to 10 years in prison, but was sentenced to 24 months and three years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane of the Southern District of Texas in McAllen.

Sandra Sanchez can be reached at [email protected].