United States Attorney James T. Jacks
Northern District of Texas

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2010
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txn/

FEDERAL JURY CONVICTS FORT WORTH MAN ON
FIREARMS SMUGGLING CHARGES

Defendant Arrested as Part of “Project Coronado”

FORT WORTH, Texas — One of the defendants who was arrested on October 21, 2009, as part of the operation entitled “Project Coronado,” Daniel Bernardino, was convicted late yesterday by a federal jury in Fort Worth of firearms and ammunition smuggling, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. “Operation Coronado” was part of a nationwide crackdown on the violent drug cartel, La Familia, which resulted in the arrest of more than 300 individuals nationwide, and approximately 100 individuals locally.

Bernardino, 50, of Fort Worth, faces a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John McBryde on April 30, 2010.

The seven below-named defendants were indicted with Bernardino on firearms smuggling and related charges. Alberto Pulido remains a fugitive; the remainder have pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy, and are awaiting sentencing.

Alberto Pulido, a/k/a “Betico”
Juan Ramirez, 23, of Fort Worth
Javier Rosales, 33, of Fort Worth
Jesus Ortega, 28, of Fort Worth
Gustavo Pulido, 48, of Fort Worth
Isidro Lozano, 29, of Arlington, Texas
Eduardo Flores, 40, of Fort Worth

According to documents filed in court, Juan Ramirez would purchase firearms to export them to Alberto Pulido and the La Familia Drug Trafficking Organization in Mexico. So as to avoid drawing undue suspicion to himself, Ramirez recruited other individuals to purchase firearms on his behalf, paying them for purchasing the guns and turning them over to him.

1After Ramirez had a falling out with La Familia, Javier Rosales assumed leadership responsibilities from Ramirez. When Rosales had firearms ready to be taken to Mexico, he would drive his vehicle to a public location, and once there, the vehicle would be driven away by other members of the conspiracy to a ranch in Cleburne, Texas. This five-acre property was surrounded by a fence, with an interior privacy fence, and occupants of the ranch conducted frequent patrols of the property. Once the weapons were taken to the ranch, they were unloaded to await shipment to Mexico. Rosales’ vehicle was then returned to him.

The government presented evidence at trial that the La Familia Drug Trafficking Operation was having firearms smuggled to Mexico in order to arm their personnel in Mexico. On December 20, 2008, Bernardino and others drove in a car caravan toward the Mexican border. Approximately 25 miles from the border, they were stopped by law enforcement. A search of a 1999 Chevrolet van that was part of the caravan revealed 33 firearms concealed inside the lining of the van’s walls and ceiling and approximately 9000 rounds of ammunition.

The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Fort Worth Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua T. Burgess and J. Michael Worley are in charge of the prosecution.

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