Herbert Serrano, Firearms Smuggling, Texas 2020

Three individuals have been indicted in El Paso, Texas, for their roles in a scheme to straw purchase firearms and smuggle them into Mexico.

A federal grand jury in El Paso indicted 37-year-old Herbert Serrano, a citizen of Mexico, 22-year-old El Paso resident Israel Ruiz Esparza, and 21-year-old El Paso resident Raul Mendoza with one count of conspiracy to smuggle goods from the U.S.; one count of attempting to smuggle goods from the U.S.; and two counts of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.

The indictment also charges Ruiz and Mendoza with one count of unlawful user in possession of a firearm.

According to the indictment, the defendants allegedly conspired for approximately one month beginning in February 2020, to knowingly obtain firearms in the U.S. and export them to Mexico without a license.

The indictment further alleges Mendoza provided false written information while allegedly straw purchasing a 9mm pistol for Serrano on March 2, 2020. The indictment also alleges that Ruiz provided false written information while allegedly straw purchasing three 9mm pistols for Serrano on March 26, 2020.

Furthermore, at the time of the firearms purchases, both Ruiz and Mendoza knew that they were unlawful users or addicted to a controlled substance making them prohibited persons from possessing firearms under federal law.

Each count calls for up to ten years in federal prison upon conviction.

The defendants remain in federal custody pending detention hearings. Serrano is scheduled for tomorrow at 8:15am before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leon Schydlower. Ruiz and Mendoza are expected to have their detention hearing sometime next week in U.S. Magistrate Court in El Paso.

An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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