Victor Coronado Jr., Firearms Smuggling, Tucson AZ, 2023

TUCSON, Ariz. – Victor Coronado Jr., 40, of Tucson, Arizona, will spend the next five years in federal prison after being sentenced Tuesday to 60 months for his role as the ringleader of a firearms smuggling operation targeting Mexico. U.S. District Judge Rosemary Márquez handed down the sentence, followed by three years of supervised release.

Coronado wasn’t just buying a gun here and there. Between October 2019 and July 2020, he spearheaded a conspiracy that saw almost 50 assault rifles and high-capacity semi-automatic pistols illegally crossing the border. The operation involved not only purchasing the weapons himself but also funneling cash to others to acquire firearms on his behalf, all while deliberately falsifying information to gun dealers.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigation revealed Coronado and his associates operated without a shred of legal authority. The firearms, clearly prohibited from export to Mexico without a valid license, were moved south of the border with no paperwork, no approvals – just a blatant disregard for the law. This wasn’t a case of guns ‘falling’ into the wrong hands; this was a deliberate and organized effort to arm individuals in Mexico illegally.

Federal prosecutors detailed how Coronado didn’t simply acquire the weapons; he actively *facilitated* the smuggling. He provided the funds, the direction, and the assistance necessary to get these dangerous weapons across the border. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Bolling, District of Arizona, Tucson, led the prosecution, building a case that clearly demonstrated Coronado’s central role in the conspiracy.

Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection provided crucial support to the ATF throughout the investigation. The case, numbered CR-02081-RM-MSA, serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing efforts to stem the flow of illegal firearms from the United States into Mexico, a pipeline that fuels violence and instability.

While Coronado is behind bars, the fight against firearms smuggling continues. The ATF’s Phoenix Field Division remains vigilant in tracking down those who profit from this dangerous trade, working to disrupt these criminal networks and keep illegal weapons off the streets – and out of the hands of those who would use them to inflict harm.

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