Grenade Ring Busted in South Texas: Six Face Federal Charges

McALLEN, Texas – A dangerous network peddling unregistered hand grenades and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) has been dismantled in South Texas, with six individuals now facing federal charges. The bust, the result of a joint operation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), exposes a chilling willingness to arm criminals with potent weaponry.

Those arrested include Celin Javier Montoya, 23, of Edinburg; Anthony Ozuna, 20, of Edinburg; Alfredo Rivera, 24, of Edinburg; Pedro Vega, 40, of Edinburg; Noe Gonzalez, 19, of San Juan; and Jonathan Sanchez-Torres, 19, a Mexican undocumented alien residing in Pharr. The arrests stem from a criminal complaint alleging the illegal receipt or possession of destructive devices not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson.

The investigation revealed that Ozuna and Rivera were allegedly attempting to broker the sale of these dangerous devices, acting as front men for Montoya and Vega. Between November 5th and 11th, 2016, undercover agents with ATF and HSI purchased all available hand grenades from Montoya and Vega. The operation quickly unraveled a larger supply chain, leading investigators to Gonzalez and Sanchez-Torres.

According to the complaint, Gonzalez spent approximately six months acquiring the necessary components to build dozens of improvised hand grenades – grenade hulls, spring kits, fuses, and black powder – sourcing materials from both online merchants and local stores. These components were then allegedly assembled and turned over to Sanchez-Torres for distribution. This wasn’t some haphazard operation; it was a deliberate and sustained effort to create and move illegal explosives.

Vega made his initial court appearance today and was ordered held pending a detention hearing scheduled for December 9th. Montoya, arrested in Ingleside, is slated to appear before U.S. Magistrate B. Janice Ellington in Corpus Christi. The remaining defendants – Ozuna, Rivera, Gonzalez, and Sanchez-Torres – are expected in court tomorrow morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter E. Ormsby. Each defendant is charged with the illegal receipt or possession of a destructive device that is not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

If convicted, each of the six defendants faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a potential $250,000 fine. The investigation received assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety, police departments in McAllen and Mission, Customs and Border Protection, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Paxton and Linda Requenez are prosecuting the case. It’s crucial to remember that a criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty through due process of law.