Rio Rico Man Sentenced to Over 6 Years in Prison for Smuggling Ammunition

     TUCSON, Ariz. – On Aug. 29, 2018, Fernando Romero-Salgado, 38, of Rio Rico, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Raner C. Collins to 82 months’ imprisonment.  Romero-Salgado had been previously found guilty following trial of smuggling goods from the United States and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.

     On Dec. 8, 2016, Romero-Salgado and co-defendant Alberto De La Cruz-Cano purchased 12,000 rounds of ammunition from an ammunition store in Phoenix, intending to unlawfully export the ammunition to Mexico.  They loaded the ammunition into Romero-Salgado’s vehicle and Romero-Salgado drove to Rio Rico, where he was found with the ammunition at his home.  Romero-Salgado had been previously convicted of four felony offenses and was therefore prohibited from possessing ammunition by federal law.  He and De La Cruz-Cano had also smuggled ammunition into Mexico on several prior occasions.  De La Cruz-Cano was previously sentenced in this case to 41 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to his smuggling offenses.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations and 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-16-00131-TUC-RCC

RELEASE NUMBER:           2018-115_ Romero-Salgado

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