Iowa Man Sentenced for Firearm Smuggling Publisher: U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Texas Dateline: Pecos, Texas Date: 1 March 2024 Subjects: American Government , Crime, Trucking Topic: Ford F-450

PECOS – Victor Alfonso Magana-Ahumada, 37, from Denison, Iowa was sentenced in federal court in Pecos this week to 46 months in prison for attempting to illegally cause guns to be smuggled from the U.S. to Mexico.

According to court documents, Customs and Border Protection Officers at the Presidio Port of Entry referred a Ford 450 travelling towards Mexico, to secondary inspection.  The truck was pulling a trailer filled with packages destined for Mexico.  The packages were part of a shipment being transported by a transnational shipping company.  During the inspection, officers found six pistols, pistol magazines, one semi-automatic rifle and rifle magazines concealed in packages amongst the cargo.

Further investigation by Special Agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) revealed Magana arranged with the transnational shipping company for the transport of the packages that contained the concealed firearms to Mexico.  Investigation also revealed Magana had purchased two of the firearms found secreted in the shipment packages.

On November 29, 2023, Magana pleaded guilty to one count of smuggling goods from the United States.  Magana has remained in federal custody since his arrest on September 28, 2023.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and HSI Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola, El Paso Division, made the announcement.

HSI, with assistance from HSI–Sioux City Division and Spencer, Iowa Police Department, investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Greenbaum prosecuted the case.

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Updated March 1, 2024