SAN DIEGO, CALIF
Two National Guard soldiers who admitted that they sold military-style assault rifles and ammunition believing it would be taken to Mexico will be sentenced in April.
An undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives told the defendants that he was a member of a Mexican drug cartel, according to the complaint.
During one transaction, the defendants showed up in U.S. Army uniforms, the complaint states.
Andrew Reyes, 34, and Jaime Casillas, 22, who worked in the Army National Guard Armory in La Mesa, both plead guilty last week to one count of dealing firearms without a license.
Reyes also pleaded guilty to three counts of unlicensed transportation of firearms, admitting that he travelled to Texas on at least three occasions to purchase assault weapons which he then illegally transported to California and sold to the undercover agent.
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on April 15.
Casillas is facing up to five years in prison if convicted of the charges. Reyes is facing up to 10 years behind bars, according to officials.
“Casillas and Reyes’ conduct surpassed mere exploitation of military resources, and advanced to providing armaments usually reserved for law enforcement and combat personnel to individuals they believed were members of organized crime operating in the United States and Mexico,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Eric D. Harden. “U.S. Service personnel make up a large percentage of the San Diego community. The community as a whole has an interest in combatting conduct that stains the public trust.”
According to his plea agreement, Reyes, of El Cajon, California, sold an AK-47 rifle on Sept 2, 2014; two AR-15 rifles and four high-capacity .223-caliber rifles magazines on December 3, 2014; and another AR-15 rifle on March 16, 2015 – all to the undercover ATF agent.
In all cases, Reyes, of La Mesa, admitted that he believed the guns were destined for Mexico.
According to his plea agreement, Casillas sold a .40-caliber pistol to the undercover agent on August 14, 2014; an AR-15 rifle on October 17, 2014; and was present when Reyes sold the AR-15 rifle on March 16, 2015.
Casillas also admitted that he believed the weapons were also destined for Mexico.
According to the complaint, these are facts and circumstances surrounding this case:
The undercover agent made clear to the defendants on multiple occasions that the purchased guns were destined for Mexico
The defendants also noted that some of the guns acquired in Texas had obliterated serial numbers or were “hot,” meaning they’d been used in a crime or were stolen.