McALLEN, Texas — A pair of local men have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a firearms trafficking ring that funneled weapons to the Gulf Cartel. Dimas Rodriguez, 44, and Jose Gertrudis Partida, 71, both of McAllen, admitted their crimes in deals with federal prosecutors, with U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson confirming the convictions and sentencing this morning.
Rodriguez pleaded guilty June 29, 2016, to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Partida entered his guilty plea Aug. 31, 2016, admitting he knowingly transferred a firearm to a convicted felon. Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez handed down sentences of 70 months for Rodriguez and 30 months for Partida, underscoring the gravity of gun crimes feeding cartel violence just miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.
Partida, a 71-year-old with no prior criminal record, asked the court for leniency, citing his age, clean past, and military service — including a Bronze Star earned in combat. But prosecutors pushed back hard, revealing Partida provided multiple firearms to individuals who either exported or claimed they would export the weapons into Mexico for use by the Gulf Cartel. The government tied him to drug trafficking-related activities, painting a picture of calculated betrayal of public trust.
Judge Alvarez agreed the case demanded a strong message. She emphasized the dangerous nexus of drugs and guns, stating Partida’s sentence must deter others — young or old — from following the same criminal path. In addition to his 30-month prison term, Partida will serve two years of supervised release and pay a $30,000 fine. Rodriguez, already locked up, remains in federal custody with no early release.
The crime at the heart of the case dates to Dec. 2, 2015, when Partida handed over three semi-automatic firearms to Rodriguez. At the time, Partida knew Rodriguez had a prior felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance — a fact that legally barred him from owning or handling any firearm. Rodriguez then sold the weapons to an intermediary who intended to deliver them to Gulf Cartel operatives south of the border.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations led the probe, with support from the Hidalgo County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto Lopez Jr. prosecuted. The case lays bare how domestic gun trafficking fuels international cartel operations — and how federal law enforcement is cracking down on enablers in South Texas.
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