Former Employee of Hobbs Gun Shop Sentenced to Prison for Federal Firearms Conviction

ALBUQUERQUE – Carlos Carlon Cruz, the father of a the former owner of a gun shop in Hobbs, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., for violating the federal firearms laws.  Carlos Carlon Cruz was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.  His wife, Norma M. Cruz was sentenced last week to three years of supervised release for her conviction on firearms charges.  Their son, Carlos Jonathan Cruz was sentenced on Feb. 4, 2015, to 12 months and one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

Carlos Carlon Cruz, 61, Norma M. Cruz, 58, and their son Carlos Jonathan Cruz, 32, the former owner of Hobbs Satellite Company Guns & Ammo, were indicted in June 2013.  The indictment charged the three defendants with violating federal firearms laws by making false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms by an individual who was acting as a “straw purchaser” and buying firearms on behalf of others.  Carlos Jonathan Cruz also was charged with unlawfully selling thousands of rounds of ammunition to an alien illegally in the United States, unlawfully possessing an unregistered sawed-off shotgun, and unlawfully possessing firearms with obliterated serial numbers.

Carlos Carlon Cruz and Norma M. Cruz pled guilty on Jan. 7, 2014, to felony informations charging them with making false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms by an individual who was acting as a “straw purchaser,” and unlawfully selling ammunition to a prohibited person.  In entering their guilty pleas, the couple admitted that on April 9, 2013, they sold 2,500 rounds of ammunition to an alien who was illegally in the United States.  They also admitted that on April 23, 2013, they knowingly aided and abetted the making of a false statement by a straw purchaser who bought two firearms at the gun shop for an individual who was working as a confidential informant for the ATF.

Carlos Jonathan Cruz also pled guilty on Jan. 7, 2014, to a felony information charging him with making false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms by an individual who was acting as a “straw purchaser,” and unlawfully possessing firearms with obliterated serial numbers.  In entering his guilty plea, Carlos Jonathan Cruz admitted that on April 23, 2013, he knowingly aided and abetted the making of a false statement by a straw purchaser who bought two firearms at his gun shop for an individual who was working as a confidential informant for the ATF.  Cruz also admitted possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number on May 29, 2013.

Under the terms of their plea agreements, all three defendants are required to forfeit approximately 165 firearms, 25,703 rounds of ammunition and six silencers.

This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the DEA and the Hobbs Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Y. Armijo of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen R. Kotz is handling the related forfeiture proceedings.