A Texas man pleaded guilty in federal court to smuggling a gun in connection to the March kidnapping of four Americans in Mexico, a federal prosecutor announced Wednesday.
Roberto Lugardo Moreno Jr., 42, of Harlingen, Texas, entered a guilty plea to charges of straw purchasing and smuggling a firearm for members of the Gulf Cartel, according to a statement from the Department of Justice.
An investigation revealed Moreno purchased a multi-caliber AR-style pistol at a pawn shop in Brownsville, Texas, in 2019, the Justice Department said. According to a federal complaint, Moreno lied on a form stating he was the buyer but later admitted that he purchased it for another person he knew was going to supply a Gulf Cartel member in Mexico.
“All too often, firearms are trafficked into Mexico where they end up in the hands of criminals who use them to murder, rob and extort innocent people,” U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani said in a statement. “Moreno helped smuggle a firearm for criminals he knew were in the Gulf Cartel who then allegedly used it to murder and kidnap American citizens.”
Sentencing for Moreno was scheduled for Aug. 9. Moreno will remain in custody pending that hearing, the Justice Department said.
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Mexico kidnapping turned deadly
The March 3 kidnapping occurred in Matamoros, Mexico, which is located just across the border from Brownsville. The four friends were assaulted and kidnapped shortly after crossing the border into the city of Matamoros.
The group traveled to Mexico so that one friend could have cosmetic surgery but the trip turned deadly after they were caught up in a drug cartel shootout. After a vehicle crashed into the group’s van, men in tactical vests with rifles surrounded them.
Zindell Brown and Shaeed Woodard died in the attack, and their bodies were loaded into a truck with Eric Williams and Latavia McGee. Williams survived with a leg wound and McGee was physically unharmed.
The bodies and the two survivors were found days later in a shack. Both survivors were rushed to the United States for medical care.
Attorney General Irving Barrios said no ransom was demanded and officials suspected that friends were victims of mistaken identity.
The Gulf Cartel later apologized for the kidnapping, claiming its members were behind the incident and handed over five of the members, Mexican media outlets and The Associated Press reported.
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Moreno faces up to 10 years in prison
According to the federal complaint, the serial number of a gun Moreno bought in October 2019 matched a gun that was linked to the March 3 kidnappings.
Moreno said he didn’t apply for a license to export the firearm from the United States to Mexico and admitted that he knew it would be illegally exported, according to the complaint. He also told authorities that he received $100 for the purchase of the firearm.
Moreno faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Contributing: Natalie Neysa Alund and John Bacon, USA TODAY; The Associated Press
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