An Apopka man, Yessen Vasquez Tolentino, has admitted to a federal charge of smuggling firearms out of the country, he's looking at up to 10 years behind bars. Tolentino, aged 37, entered a guilty plea to one count of smuggling goods from the United States, a conviction that could lead to significant prison time, though the court has not yet scheduled a date for sentencing, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
The details of the case reveal that Tolentino knowingly hid an arsenal within the confines of a seemingly innocuous refrigerator, arming it not with perishables but with firearms, parts, and ammunition before arranging for its transport to the Dominican Republic. The plea agreement details the concealment of 17 firearms, 33 firearms parts, and over 140 rounds of ammunition within the appliance, contraband that Tolentino has agreed to surrender.
With the investigative efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, this case reaches its conclusion under the prosecution of Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Hu. Launched in 2021 and recently refocused, PSN is grounded on building trust within communities, backing organizations that prevent violence before it occurs, prioritizing strategic enforcement, and tracking the effectiveness of these efforts.
