Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Firearms into Mexico
Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Mexican national pleaded guilty in federal court in Del Rio on Monday to smuggling firearms and ammunition into Mexico from the United States.
According to court documents, Jose Jesus Hernandez-Valle, 54, conspired with others to smuggle a 9mm pistol, a .40 caliber pistol, and more than 200 rounds of ammunition and other related firearm accessories into Mexico. The firearms were discovered and seized by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Del Rio International Port of Entry on Nov. 2, 2022.
Hernandez-Valle pleaded guilty to smuggling of goods from the United States. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 25, 2023 before Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. 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 and Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio Division made the announcement.
HSI and CBP are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Bird and Alex Brown are prosecuting the case.
