HSI, local partner investigation results in sentencing of Texas man for exporting firearms, ammunition for wife
MCALLEN, Texas – A Mexican citizen was sentenced for his role in smuggling firearms from the United States into Mexico following an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) along with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). Juan Jose Roque, 36, illegally residing in Garland, was sentenced Aug. 29 by a federal judge to serve 41 months in prison and is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Roque had been participating for months in the criminal venture before he was caught. The court also heard that his participation included buying firearms and ammunition to be exported and loading vehicles for his wife who was acting as the leader/organizer. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Roque was an average participant in the venture even though he was acting at the behest of his wife at the time. Roque pleaded guilty April 29.
“The sentencing of this defendant sends a stern message that those who purchase, transport and facilitate the smuggling of weapons and ammunition will face the full extent of the law,” said Craig Larrabee, acting special agent in charge of HSI San Antonio. “The successful outcome of this case is a direct result of the steadfast efforts of federal agents to prevent firearms and ammunition from falling into the hands of transitional criminal organizations that pose a threat to public safety in Mexico and the United States.”
According to court documents, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on Roque after he failed to use a signal to change lanes, Dec. 17, 2020. Soon after, authorities discovered 13,000 rounds of ammunition and a firearm in the vehicle. Investigation later revealed that Roque worked in conjunction with his wife Brendalit Hernandez, 44, and co-conspirator, and Juan Marvin Garcia, 25, both illegally residing in Garland, to smuggle ammunition and firearms into Mexico. Hernandez was also romantically involved with Garcia while married to Roque. Hernandez facilitated the delivery of the ammunition and firearms to individuals in Mexico. She instructed Roque to purchase the weapons and ammunition to then be transported in vehicles while coordinating with Garcia to carry ammunition from Dallas to the Rio Grande Valley area and eventually Mexico. Garcia was previously sentenced to 36 months in prison for his role in the conspiracy. Hernandez pleaded guilty to charges July 5 and will be sentenced Sept. 14.
Roque remains in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined soon. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colton Turner, Southern District of Texas, prosecuted the case.
Operation Without a Trace
Operation Without a Trace is a unified effort by HSI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to fight the illegal trafficking of guns and ammunition from the United States into Mexico. Alongside the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), HSI and CBP identify, target, and investigate the financing, transportation, and communications methods employed by firearms procurement and smuggling networks to disrupt and dismantle illegal gun trafficking operations.
Confidential tips from the public reporting incidents of illegal firearms smuggling have been a major contributor to the success of Operation Without a Trace. HSI, CBP and ATF have launched an information campaign to increase public awareness about how to provide confidential tips to law enforcement and are encouraging the public to report any information on transnational organized crime networks and actors involved in cross-border weapons trafficking activities.
Tips can be submitted by calling 1-866-347-2423 from the U.S. and Canada, internationally at 1-802-872-6199, or online. Information received is kept confidential and relayed to HSI and partners for appropriate action. Additional information about HSI’s investigative efforts is available @HSI_SanAntonio.
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of over 10,400 employees consists of more than 6,800 special agents assigned to 225 cities throughout the United States, and 86 overseas locations in 55 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.
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