SAN ANTONIO – A years-long investigation resulted in the arrests of 12 people in San Antonio on Tuesday for trafficking firearms stolen from vehicles.
The arrests were announced at a news conference Wednesday by Jaime Esparza, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, and Robert Topper, Assistant Special Agent In Charge for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Topper said that nearly 200 firearms, including 14 machine guns and 61 machine gun conversion devices, were seized in the operation. Of those firearms, six were used in shootings in San Antonio, including three machine guns.
The suspects arrested were members of an organization that stole weapons with the intent to sell them in Mexico, Topper said.
“This organization that we apprehended yesterday presented a danger to our communities,” Topper said.
The suspects arrested and who were indicted by a federal grand jury in San Antonio include:
- Jonathan Adrian Briseno aka “SaTone Slick,” 20
- Ruben Gonzalez Jr., aka “Roman Hernandez,” 29
- Joel Alejandro Martinez aka “Bo Jackson,” 25
- Margarita Hernandez Martinez, 43
- Julio Alejandro Sanchez, 27
- Arnulfo Javier Maldonado, 21
- Darius Springs aka “Dee STN,” 21
- Giovanni Martinez Larios, 18
- Jesus Hernandez Jr. aka “Chuy,” 22
- Bernardo Melendez Jr., 25
- Joe Randy Cano, 34
- Patrick Michael Cuellar, 23
The suspects were indicted on various charges, including firearm trafficking, possession of a stolen firearm, and possession of a machine gun.
They face penalties ranging from up to five years in prison for dealing in firearms without a license, to a maximum of 10 years in prison for the possession charges, and up to 15 years in prison for the firearm trafficking and felon in possession charges. A federal district court judge will determine the sentences.
One of the suspects that was being sought Tuesday included a man who was killed by an ATF agent in San Antonio, Esparza confirmed.
While a search team tried to serve a warrant at the Starcrest Apartments near NE Loop 410 and Starcrest Drive, a man pointed a firearm at them. Moments later, the ATF agent fired at the suspect, killing him, ATF said in a statement.