A Phoenix man, Edwin Alexey Gamboa, age 20, faces several federal charges after being found with fentanyl and firearms while already on pretrial release for attempting to smuggle firearm magazines into Mexico. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office District of Arizona, officers discovered Gamboa asleep in a vehicle that obstructed a city street on the morning of June 2, 2024, which led to the discovery of two firearms, around 409 counterfeit oxycodone pills identified as fentanyl, and nearly $2,000 in cash. One firearm, a Glock 19X, was equipped with a machine gun conversion device and operated as such when test-fired.
The recently returned indictment charges Gamboa with illegal receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. If convicted of these charges, Gamboa could face a range of penalties, including imprisonment and substantial fines. The allegation, however, does not indicate guilt, as the legal process ensures the presumption of innocence until proven otherwise.
Back in February of this year, Gamboa was indicted for attempting to smuggle one empty Glock handgun magazine and 10 empty AK-47 style rifle magazines across the Lukeville Port of Entry into Mexico. The charges from this previous indictment come with their own stiff penalties that could, see Gamboa facing significant time behind bars and financial repercussions. Investigations for both the Phoenix and Tucson incidents were conducted by multiple agencies, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Addison Owen and Sarah Houston spearheading the prosecutions, respectively.
The potential consequences of these varied charges demonstrate the severity with which the legal system views offenses involving firearms and drugs. The prosecution's case rests on evidence yet to be weighed by a jury, and until then, Gamboa remains shielded by the presumption of innocence.
