Carlos Manuel Quirola, a/k/a “Carlos Quirola-Ordonez,” a/k/a “Manny,” 58, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden to Count One of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to transport stolen firearms.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, law enforcement received information in April 2012 that valuable firearms allegedly belonging to members of the family of the late Iraqi president Saddam Hussein were available for sale. The weapons were believed to be kept in Florida, and Quirola and others attempted to find a buyer for them in New Jersey. The firearms had been appraised at $250,000 to $350,000. Seven firearms were shipped to New Jersey for viewing by potential buyers.
Federal law enforcement officers seized the following firearms in the course of the investigation:
- One Coonan Arms Inc., .357 semi-automatic pistol, nickel finish, made in St. Paul, Minn., with gold inlay and a medallion “QS” on left side grip (believed to be the initials of Qusay Saddam Hussein al-Tikriti, the second son of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein);
- One Korth, .357 magnum revolver (six shot) stamped “Made in W. Germany Waffenfabrik Koth Ratzeburg/LBG,” with gold inlay, black finish, wood grips, which displays a drawing of a wild boar;
- One Korth, .357 magnum, revolver (six shot) stamped “Made in W. Germany Waffenfabrik Koth Ratzeburg/LBG,” with gold inlay, black finish, wood grips, which displays a drawing of a moose;
- One Chinese State Factories type 64 pistol, .32 caliber semi-auto pistol, black finish, with Yemen flag icon on both sides of grip and Arabic writing on the slide;
- Two Cosmi, 12 gauge shotguns, break top, single barrel;
- One Llama Semiautomatic .45 ACP pistol with gold leaf and gold inlays, hand engraved, bearing the initials “Q.S.”
The count to which the defendant pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for June 1, 2015.
Two other individuals, Karlo Sauer and Howard Blumenthal, have pleaded guilty to their roles in this conspiracy. Blumenthal has been sentenced, and Sauer is awaiting sentencing.
Another individual, David Ryan is charged by indictment, and a trial date is scheduled for May 11, 2015. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Related Federal Cases
- Tony ‘Red’ Crowe, Firearms Trafficking and Dealing Firearms Without a License, New Jersey 2026 · Florida
- Grevaughn Sanchez Goodman, Firearms Trafficking, Georgia 2023 · Florida
- John Magobet, Making False Statements to Purchase Guns, Virginia 2023 · Florida
- Jadden I. Bedell, Gun Trafficking, Ohio 2022 · Florida
- Dontray Lewis, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Georgia 2022 · Florida
Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Category: Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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