A McAllen man has been handed a prison sentence for the illegal act of straw purchasing firearms, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Juan Hector Resendez-Meza III, 22, admitted to buying guns on behalf of a Mexican national and will now face a 24-month term in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. This development follows Resendez-Meza's guilty plea on May 31.
Resendez-Meza was approached by, a man from Reynosa, Mexico who gave him $16,000 in cash between May and August 2023 to purchase firearms on his behalf. Throughout the transactions, Resendez-Meza filled out federal forms falsely claiming that he was the actual purchaser of the weapons. He procured three rifles, including a high-caliber .50 rifle for the individual, a court document revealed. The McAllen man had also previously bought and sold two pistols to the same man, as per U.S. Attorney's Office.
The sentencing was handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane, after which Resendez-Meza was taken into custody pending his transfer to a Bureau of Prisons facility. The conviction showcases the ongoing efforts to tackle illegal arms trade and the commitment of U.S. law enforcement to put an end to these activities. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan prosecuting the case.
This case falls under the broader scope of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a national initiative led by the Department of Justice focusing on violent crime reduction. As part of PSN's strategy, it brings stakeholders together to pinpoint and address core violent crime issues within communities, combining enforcement and prevention efforts. According to the Department of Justice's statement, the program has been proven effective at reducing violent crime, particularly when targeting the most violent offenders.
