A Tucson Border Patrol agent was arrested along with two other men on suspicion of firearms offenses, the U.S. Attorneyβs Office says.
Ramon Antonio Monreal-Rodriguez, of Vail, was arrested this week on suspicion of conspiracy to make false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms and aiding and abetting the commission of such offenses, an attorneyβs office news release said Friday.
Monreal-Rodriguez, an agent assigned to the Three Points station, resigned from the agency after his arrest. He had been with the Border Patrol for 10 years, the U.S. Attorneyβs Office said in a news release.
According to a federal indictment, Monreal-Rodriguez conspired to unlawfully purchase four limited-edition Colt .38 caliber pistols with alleged co-conspirators Cesar Antonio Enriquez-Trejo and Luis Alfredo Demara-Campas.
Monreal-Rodriguez provided a βlarge amount of cash to Enriquez-Trejo and instructed him to purchase specific firearms on his and Demara-Campasβ behalf,β the indictment said.
Demara-Campas and Monreal-Rodriguez are accused of requesting Enriquez-Trejo purchase the four guns for them, and in turn he would receive $200 per firearm. Enriquez-Trejo is accused of agreeing to the deal, and was provided cash from Monreal-Rodriguez, according to the indictment.
Demara-Campas was present when the cash and instructions were given to Enriquez-Trejo by Monreal-Rodriguez, the document said.
On July 31, an order for two Colt pistols was placed with a licensed firearms dealer, by Enriquez-Trejo, who is accused of stating he was the buyer of the firearms, which were actually intended for Monreal-Rodriguez and Demara-Campas, authorities said.
Between July and August, Monreal-Rodriguez, Enriquez-Trejo and Demara-Campas are accused of conspiring to make false claims to the licensed firearms dealers to acquire the firearms. The indictment says the deceiving statements were used in the multiple transaction attempts.
Enriquez-Trejo would later attempt to buy two limited-edition Colt .38 caliber pistols from a licensed gun dealer in Tucson July 31 by following instructions given to him, authorities contend. Enriquez-Trejo completed the paperwork stating he was the actual buyer, but the dealer did not transfer the firearms to Enriquez-Trejo, the indictment said.
On Aug. 4, Monreal-Rodriguez tried to buy the limited-edition pistols from the same guns dealer in Tucson, as previously attempted by Enriquez-Trejo, stating he was the buyer of the firearm but the gun was also not transferred to him.
Three days later, Monreal-Rodriguez and Enriquez-Trejo obtained money orders from a Tucson convenience store to use in purchasing firearms through the internet. Monreal-Rodriguez purchased the orders with cash and Enriquez-Trejo signed his name to the orders. Monreal-Rodriguez then took possession of the money orders, the indictment said.
Monreal-Rodriguez ordered two limited-edition Colt pistols from the federally licensed firearms dealers, which he paid for with the money orders obtained earlier that day. Monreal-Rodriguez provided Enriquez-Trejoβs name in connection with the gun order.
He requested Enriquez-Trejo obtain the guns and state himself as the actual buyer and later give the limited-edition pistols to Monreal-Rodriguez and possibly Demara-Campas, the indictment said.
Enriquez-Trejo faces charges of aiding and abetting the commission of a crime and making false statements in connection with the acquisition of a firearm. Demara-Campas faces one charge for conspiracy, the indictment said.
