Isaac Hernandez, a 25-year-old American citizen who had been living in Mexico, will spend the next six years in a federal prison contemplating the errors of his ways.
On July 11, 2022, Hernandez was stopped while southbound on I-35 heading toward the Laredo, Texas Point of Entry. Officials found 17 handguns in his car. Further investigation revealed that from Jan. 21, 2020 to July 11, 2022, Hernandez purchased 231 handguns – 9mms, .380s and .22s – which officials suspect he smuggled into Mexico.
Last week, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez sentenced Hernandez to 80 months in prison for violating the Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act.
“Hundreds of firearms likely ended up in the hands of Mexican cartel members thanks to Hernandez’s firearms trafficking, only worsening the ongoing gun violence terrorizing the citizens of Mexico and the United States,” U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani said in an ATF press release. “He worked with a contact in Mexico who instructed him on the type and number of firearms to purchase. Hernandez’s actions exemplify why laws such as the Trafficking in Firearms Act are so important.”
Then, as you would expect, the ATF had to weigh in.
“This was a textbook case of trafficking firearms to Mexico,” ATF Special Agent in Charge Fred Milanowski said in the press release. “Firearms trafficking is illegal and immoral. Unfortunately, the consequences of a firearm illegally possessed in the United States and Mexico can cause danger and harm for decades. As demonstrated by this case, we will continue to investigate and prosecute gun traffickers who endanger the lives of law-abiding citizens in our communities.”
Illegal and immoral – danger and harm for decades? Okay, the Mexican drug cartels certainly pose a clear and present danger to the security of the United States, so arming them would be foolish and wrong. But SAC Milanowski never mentioned that there was a much larger firearms trafficking conspiracy that allowed thousands of firearms to walk across the border and end up in the hands of the drug cartels, including .50 sniper rifles, semi-automatic ARs, AKs and handguns of all types – a much more serious threat than Hernandez’s 9mms, .380s and .22s.
Operation Fast and Furious was a preposterous plan somehow concocted by ATF’s Arizona Field Office, which ran from 2006 to 2011, mostly in the Phoenix area. According to a series of emails, ATF officials “purposely allowed licensed firearms dealers to sell weapons to illegal straw buyers, hoping to track the guns to Mexican drug cartel leaders and arrest them.” None of the senior cartel members have ever been charged for possessing ATF’s guns.
Of the thousands of weapons ATF allowed to “walk” across the border, only 700 were ever recovered. One of the firearms was used in the 2010 murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, and others have shown up in crime scenes on both sides of the border. Hundreds of Mexican citizens have been wounded or killed by ATF’s guns.
None of this was mentioned in the recent release, but SAC Milanowski is certainly not alone in his misremembering. ATF has always had a selective memory. Their website devotes only one page to the agency’s deadly Waco fiasco, and there is no mention of either Ruby Ride or Randy Weaver.
Last month, U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) introduced the “Abolish the ATF Act of 2023.” Gaetz cited ATF’s recent pistol-brace rule, which could turn more than 40 million Americans into felons overnight, as his main reason for the bill, but those familiar with the agency know there is so much more.
As has been said many times before, no one makes a better case to abolish the ATF than the ATF.
This story is presented by the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project and wouldn’t be possible without you. Please click here to make a tax-deductible donation to support more pro-gun stories like this.
About Lee Williams
Lee Williams, who is also known as “The Gun Writer,” is the chief editor of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project. Until recently, he was also an editor for a daily newspaper in Florida. Before becoming an editor, Lee was an investigative reporter at newspapers in three states and a U.S. Territory. Before becoming a journalist, he worked as a police officer. Before becoming a cop, Lee served in the Army. He’s earned more than a dozen national journalism awards as a reporter, and three medals of valor as a cop. Lee is an avid tactical shooter.
“…no one makes a better case to abolish the ATF than the ATF.”
I’d argue that the Constitution makes a much better case against the ATF, “…Shall Not Be Infringed.”
So when will Hillary and Holder be arrested?
Different rules for the king and kings men than regular folk. Things are broke
Not to mention that the American arms industry assists in that the Mexican Army is a major source of weapons for the cartels. That army gets its weapons through legit purchases, then corruption takes over.
If you could, please provide a POC or research behind this. I’m all ears.
Appreciate your endeavors.
“What is immensely concerning, however, is that they were apparently able to get this equipment out of a U.S. Government facility without anyone originally noticing,” Moss told Newsweek via email after reviewing the indictments. “This speaks to a far greater physical security breach than is made clear by the mere actions of the criminal defendants themselves. Somewhere someone did not properly do their job.”
https://www.newsweek.com/army-soldiers-weapons-mexican-drug-cartels-1348111
i believe texas patriot was referring to the thousands of items taken by Mexican army deserters. a few years back, incompetent mexican officials claimed the US was flooding their country with illegal weapons however, serial number verifications showed they were legally sold to the mexican government …only to turn up in cartel hands soon after.
I would imagine there are many ways this happens. These are just two examples we have given.
AFT needs to be looking for his partner, Eric Holder, a known gun-runner.
An approximation to the desired result…this way of doing things, is especially fitting as Holder has already put himself as an opponent and, above to the letter of the law. A tall stought oak with a healthy length 7/8 ” hemp rope to effect long term disposition…as observed from afar at a SF A Camp proximate to the Laotian Border and Ho Chi Mihn trail. We just let the Montagnards do their thing. It was their country and who were we to
interfere?
F atf and their extended families. Publish their home addresses!
Under Bruin atf is a rogue and clearly unconstitutional agency.
not person who has “worked” for atf should ever hold a position of honor in the U.S.
government agents found 17 handguns in his vehicle when he was arrested. he is suspected of smuggling that many other handguns into mexico. do they have proof of that statement? does anyone really think that these drug cartels are buying semi-automatic handguns when they can buy whatever they want on the black market, which they are part of? illegal and immoral? batfe, look at yourself. everything you do as a government agency is illegal and immoral. you make up unconstitutional laws to punish law-abiding citizens, but don’t do anything to stop criminals. you facilitated the illegal gun running operation fast… Read more »
Mexico sending agents to U.S. to probe gun smuggling, foreign minister says
Ebrard said Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and the Biden administration are finding common issues, such as identifying and doing something about the root causes of migration as well as strengthening economic ties. Also, the U.S. is trying to stem the northward flood of the deadly synthetic drug fentanyl, which Ebrard said also worries Mexico. LMAO
https://www.borderreport.com/immigration/border-crime/mexico-sending-agents-to-u-s-to-probe-gun-smuggling-foreign-minister-says/
Nah probably MS13
Why should the Mexican people not be allowed to arm themselves ? They need ways to fight the drug cartels & their illegal Govt. This is what probably led to the arrest. Was probably selling to citizens who want protection from the wolves that prey upon them. Notice the type of firearms they were buying ? No black scary guns ? Instead pee shooters. WTF
Maybe it’s not too late for him. He could write a letter to the fake judge and demand to see it IN WRITING where he has a guarantee of actually GETTING a fair trial is located, so he can read it for himself. For without that guarantee, any trial is a pure gamble at best, but in reality, the legal system is nothing but a scam set up to rip us off!