Brown Dimas III, Firearms Straw Purchasing, Florida 2022

Federal Prison Sentence for Lehigh Acres Man Caught Up in Firearms Trafficking Ring

Brown Dimas III, a 27-year-old resident of Lehigh Acres, Florida, has been sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison for his role in a firearms trafficking ring that supplied high-powered rifles to a Mexican drug cartel.

According to court records, between November 2018 and March 2019, Dimas purchased several high-powered rifles from licensed gun dealers in Fort Myers and Cape Coral, falsely certifying in ATF paperwork that he was purchasing the firearms for himself. In reality, he was purchasing them for a Mexican drug cartel in exchange for cash kickbacks.

Dimas would then travel to Laredo, Texas, to offload the guns to a cartel associate. Since late 2019, four firearms straw-purchased by Dimas in southwest Florida have been recovered by Mexican military personnel in or near Tamaulipas, Mexico, following firefights with suspected cartel members.

Dimas pleaded guilty to the charges on August 4, 2022. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence in communities. The program brings together law enforcement and community organizations to foster trust and legitimacy, support prevention efforts, and set strategic enforcement priorities.

Brown Dimas III’s sentencing serves as a reminder of the consequences of firearms trafficking and the importance of working together to keep our communities safe.

Mandatory Facts:

Defendant: Brown Dimas III

Criminal Charges: Falsifying records relating to firearms purchases

City and State: Fort Myers, Florida

Date: August 4, 2022 (sentencing date), November 2018 – March 2019 (crime date)

Sentence: Three years and one month in federal prison

Case Details: This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.

Related Federal Cases