Nogales Man Sentenced to 92 Months for Attempting to Export Ammunition into Mexico

     TUCSON, Ariz. – Yesterday, Gabriel Rivero, 41, of Nogales, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge Frank R. Zapata to 92 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Rivero was convicted by a jury of attempting to smuggle ammunition into Mexico.

     The evidence at trial showed that on Feb. 11, 2016, at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales, a spare tire fell from a pickup truck being driven by Rivero when the truck was about 75 yards from the border. Rivero stopped, tried to pick up the spare tire, then abandoned the tire, got back into the truck, and passed through the Port of Entry into Mexico. When United States Customs and Border Protection officers inspected the tire, they discovered 5,517 rounds of pistol and rifle ammunition hidden inside. Rivero was subsequently identified via video from the Port of Entry and arrested.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The prosecution was handled by Angela W. Woolridge, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

CASE NUMBER: CR-16-0713-TUC-FRZ

RELEASE NUMBER: 2017-023_Rivero

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