McALLEN, Texas – A gritty sentencing unfolded today as Jesus Maria Salazar Jr., 29, and Filiberto Martinez Jr., 42, faced the music for their brazen illegal gun sale. The duo has been sentenced to substantial prison terms for their roles in selling firearms and ammunition.
In a plea deal reached on Oct. 20, 2023, both felons admitted their guilt. U.S. District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa slammed the book on Salazar with a 30-month sentence, while Martinez was handed a 22-month term. The judge also ordered both to serve an additional two years of supervised release.
Salazar’s crime spree began on March 2, 2023, when he sold an arsenal to an ATF undercover agent: three AK-47 rifles, one AR-15 variant, and nearly 5,900 rounds of ammunition. Martinez was implicated for storing guns for Salazar prior to the sale.
Both men were already flagged as prohibited firearm owners due to their federal convictions for smuggling ammunition across the border into Mexico. The court heard about these prior offenses during the sentencing hearing.
The ATF led the investigation that led to today’s convictions, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan prosecuted the case under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a joint federal, state, and local initiative aimed at reducing violent crime, including gun violence.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland’s reinvigorated PSN program, launched in May 2021, focuses on fostering community trust, supporting prevention efforts, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results to ultimately reduce violent crime rates.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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