FORT MYERS, FL – Gabriel Acosta, Jr., 28, of Lehigh Acres, Florida, is headed to federal prison for three years and one month after admitting to a brazen scheme to arm a Mexican drug cartel. U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell handed down the sentence following Acosta’s guilty plea on May 25, 2022, to charges related to falsifying firearms purchase records.
Court records paint a picture of Acosta as a willing participant in a dangerous operation. Between December 2018 and March 2019, Acosta repeatedly walked into licensed gun dealers in Fort Myers and Cape Coral, not to arm himself, but to illegally procure high-powered rifles for a cartel eager to escalate its firepower. Each time, Acosta knowingly lied on ATF paperwork, claiming the guns were for his personal use.
But the truth was far more sinister. Acosta wasn’t a collector; he was a conduit. He received cash kickbacks for each firearm he successfully funneled to the cartel. Once the transactions were complete, Acosta didn’t just go home. He drove to Laredo, Texas, where he personally delivered the weapons to a cartel associate, ensuring they landed in the hands of criminals operating south of the border.
The ATF, leading the investigation, didn’t stop at the purchase. They tracked the weapons Acosta supplied, and the results are chilling. Since late 2019, at least three of the firearms Acosta straw-purchased in Florida have surfaced in Mexico, recovered by Mexican military personnel following firefights with suspected cartel members. These weren’t just guns lost in the system; they were actively used in violent clashes.
Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth prosecuted the case, building a solid case based on the evidence gathered by the ATF’s Tampa Field Division. The sentence sends a clear message: those who deliberately arm criminal organizations, regardless of the financial incentive, will face federal prosecution and significant prison time. Acosta’s actions directly contributed to the escalating violence in Mexico, and now he’ll pay the price.
The Department of Justice, through the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, remains committed to disrupting the flow of illegal firearms across the border and dismantling the networks that enable cartel violence. This case underscores the importance of interagency cooperation and relentless investigation to protect both domestic and international security. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not ruled out further charges or the potential for additional arrests.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Weapons|Organized Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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