Translated by Otis B Fly-Wheel for Borderland Beat from a Milenio article
[ Subject Matter: Mario Alberto Garcia-Balderas
Recommendation: No prior subject matter knowledge required]
Mario Alberto Garcia-Balderas was sentenced to 10 years in prison for possession and sale of illegal arms
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Texas: A Mexican citizen, who according to authorities sold grenades to Federal Agents who were undercover in South Texas, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for crimes of possession of fire arms and explosives according to the Prosecutor.
Mario Alberto Garcia-Balderas, 45 years of age, had been deported two times previously from the United States but he later returned and he awaits deportation again after he has finished his sentence in an American prison, informed the Prosecutor of McAllen in a communication.
In February, members of the jury found Garcia-Balderas guilty for being an illegal foreigner in the United States in possession of fire arms and 9 improvised devices typically grenades.
The Judge of McAllen district of Texas, Ricardo Hinojosa sentenced Garcia-Balderas to the maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for his crimes.
Hinojosa also sentenced Garcia-Balderas to 8 years in prison, of which 30 months will be completed consecutively after the charge of fire arms, in a separate case in which he plead guilty to entering the country illegally after being deported.
"Today's sentence sends a clear message to those individuals that buy, transport, or facilitate arms, munitions and other related articles", said James Spero, Special Agent in charge of investigations of National Security.
The Prosecutors said that the investigation commenced in 2009 after the Agents received information about a person selling grenades.
Witnesses testified that Garcia-Balderas gave improvised explosive devices to undercover Agents on three occasions in September of 2009 for which he received a total of $25,000.
Original article in Spanish at Milenio
[ Subject Matter: Mario Alberto Garcia-Balderas
Recommendation: No prior subject matter knowledge required]
Mario Alberto Garcia-Balderas was sentenced to 10 years in prison for possession and sale of illegal arms
Texas: A Mexican citizen, who according to authorities sold grenades to Federal Agents who were undercover in South Texas, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for crimes of possession of fire arms and explosives according to the Prosecutor.
Mario Alberto Garcia-Balderas, 45 years of age, had been deported two times previously from the United States but he later returned and he awaits deportation again after he has finished his sentence in an American prison, informed the Prosecutor of McAllen in a communication.
In February, members of the jury found Garcia-Balderas guilty for being an illegal foreigner in the United States in possession of fire arms and 9 improvised devices typically grenades.
The Judge of McAllen district of Texas, Ricardo Hinojosa sentenced Garcia-Balderas to the maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for his crimes.
Hinojosa also sentenced Garcia-Balderas to 8 years in prison, of which 30 months will be completed consecutively after the charge of fire arms, in a separate case in which he plead guilty to entering the country illegally after being deported.
"Today's sentence sends a clear message to those individuals that buy, transport, or facilitate arms, munitions and other related articles", said James Spero, Special Agent in charge of investigations of National Security.
The Prosecutors said that the investigation commenced in 2009 after the Agents received information about a person selling grenades.
Witnesses testified that Garcia-Balderas gave improvised explosive devices to undercover Agents on three occasions in September of 2009 for which he received a total of $25,000.
Original article in Spanish at Milenio