Mexican National Convicted in El Paso for Drug and Arms Trafficking

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By Ciara Perez, News Reporter | iSkyCreations - News & Media (ISC)

Published May 11th, 2024

EL PASO, TX — A federal jury has found Rene Hernandez-Cordero, a 52-year-old Mexican national from Ciudad Juarez, guilty on multiple charges related to drug trafficking and arms smuggling. The convictions include conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, straw purchasing firearms, trafficking in firearms, and conspiracy to smuggle bulk cash.

During the trial, evidence was presented showing Hernandez-Cordero's involvement in a criminal network that trafficked firearms to Mexico and methamphetamine to the United States. In August 2023, Hernandez-Cordero and Jesus Gerardo Ramos, a 53-year-old co-defendant from El Paso, attempted to acquire 20 AK-47 type rifles and two Barrett .50 caliber rifles at an El Paso gas station, intending to smuggle them into Mexico.

This network allegedly smuggled hundreds of firearms across the border from August 2022 through August 2023. Co-defendants Ramos and Brian Alexis Munoz-Castro, a 21-year-old from El Paso, have both pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in firearms. Munoz-Castro also admitted to a charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

The convictions carry severe penalties. Hernandez and Munoz-Castro face potential life sentences for the drug conspiracy charge, while all three could receive up to 15 years for each firearms charge. Additionally, Hernandez could face a decade in prison for the cash smuggling charge. Sentencing is scheduled throughout July and August 2024.

This case marks one of the first major prosecutions under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, passed by Congress in June 2022, which targets illegal firearms trafficking and straw purchasing. Violations under this act can lead to fines up to $250,000.

The investigation and prosecution were carried out by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative. This initiative aims to dismantle significant drug trafficking and criminal organizations through collaborative multi-agency operations.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza from the Western District of Texas announced the convictions, highlighting the commitment of federal and local agencies to combatting crime along the U.S.-Mexico border. The case was investigated by the ATF and the OCDETF El Paso/Las Cruces Strike Force Enforcement Group 3, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Myers and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Holderfield leading the prosecution efforts.

For Immediate Release: U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Texas

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