A Florida man has landed a nearly five-year federal prison sentence for his role in a gun smuggling operation that sent firearms to the Dominican Republic disguised as household items. Elieser Sori-Rodriguez, 51, of Pompano Beach, was sentenced to 57 months behind bars after pleading guilty to several firearms-related offenses, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida.
The court heard that Sori-Rodriguez orchestrated the scheme by enlisting others to purchase guns on his behalf, which were then smuggled out of the country in mislabelled boxes. His accomplices, John Thomas Neal, Shane Sepersaude, and William Ilijic were also implicated and have since been sentenced, the justice department reported. The operation came to a halt following a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg handed down Sori-Rodriguez's sentence after he admitted to conspiracy to purchase firearms, by means of a false statement, three counts of purchase of firearms by means of false statement, smuggling firearms from the United States, and delivery of a firearm to a common carrier without written notification. HSI Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury and ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson announced the conviction, highlighting the collaborative efforts of federal law enforcement in combating illegal firearms trafficking.
This sentence is part of the broader Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, a cornerstone of the Justice Department's strategy to curb violent crime. According to the prosecutors, PSN brings together a wide range of agencies, and community stakeholders to tackle the most urgent issues of violence, focusing on the most egregious offenders, while supporting local prevention and reentry programs.
Federal authorities, for their ongoing commitment to reducing gun violence across communities, applauded Rosenberg's decision. Additional details on the case can be accessed online through the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, or via the District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
