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http://www.abc15.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=9f7cb369-d340-4159-b801-6f19753b3676
3 high-ranking Mexican officers arrested at Phoenix gun show
9/12/2007
Three high-ranking Mexican police officers were arrested over the weekend
for buying weapons at a gun show in Phoenix in violation of a law barring
non-citizens from purchasing firearms, a federal official said Wednesday.
The three include the director of the Baja California Sur state police and a
commander of the federal police in Baja California, said Tom Mangan, a
spokesman with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives in Phoenix.
The three had crossed the border at Calexico, Calif., in an official police
vehicle and driven to Phoenix. They were arrested by Phoenix police and ATF
agents after buying three handguns and about 450 rounds of ammunition
Saturday at the gun show, Mangan said.
He said it appeared the officers were buying the handguns for their personal
use.
Phoenix police booked Carlos Alberto Flores, 36, the Baja California state
police director, on state weapons misconduct and conspiracy charges,
according to a Phoenix police report. State police Commander Guillermo Valle
Medina, 33, was booked on the same felony charges, as was Jose Santos Cortez
Gonzalez, 41, a top-ranking federal police official.
They posted bond and were released from jail, Mangan said.
Phoenix police, Mesa police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents
running an enforcement program at the gun show overheard Gonzalez
negotiating with a dealer for two guns, then watched as he bought them,
according to the police report.
Officers followed Gonzalez and Flores back to their Chevrolet Suburban,
which was armored and equipped with bulletproof windows. They went back
inside, met up with Valle, and continued buying ammunition and gun supplies
before leaving, according to the report.
Police stopped their vehicle after they left the gun show, searched it and
found the three handguns and the ammunition, the police report said.
Mangan said Mexican officials have been pressuring U.S. officials to cut off
the supply of weapons going south.
3 high-ranking Mexican officers arrested at Phoenix gun show
9/12/2007
Three high-ranking Mexican police officers were arrested over the weekend
for buying weapons at a gun show in Phoenix in violation of a law barring
non-citizens from purchasing firearms, a federal official said Wednesday.
The three include the director of the Baja California Sur state police and a
commander of the federal police in Baja California, said Tom Mangan, a
spokesman with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives in Phoenix.
The three had crossed the border at Calexico, Calif., in an official police
vehicle and driven to Phoenix. They were arrested by Phoenix police and ATF
agents after buying three handguns and about 450 rounds of ammunition
Saturday at the gun show, Mangan said.
He said it appeared the officers were buying the handguns for their personal
use.
Phoenix police booked Carlos Alberto Flores, 36, the Baja California state
police director, on state weapons misconduct and conspiracy charges,
according to a Phoenix police report. State police Commander Guillermo Valle
Medina, 33, was booked on the same felony charges, as was Jose Santos Cortez
Gonzalez, 41, a top-ranking federal police official.
They posted bond and were released from jail, Mangan said.
Phoenix police, Mesa police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents
running an enforcement program at the gun show overheard Gonzalez
negotiating with a dealer for two guns, then watched as he bought them,
according to the police report.
Officers followed Gonzalez and Flores back to their Chevrolet Suburban,
which was armored and equipped with bulletproof windows. They went back
inside, met up with Valle, and continued buying ammunition and gun supplies
before leaving, according to the report.
Police stopped their vehicle after they left the gun show, searched it and
found the three handguns and the ammunition, the police report said.
Mangan said Mexican officials have been pressuring U.S. officials to cut off
the supply of weapons going south.
