Mexican National Sentenced to 9 years for Smuggling Firearms into Mexico from the United States

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced today that Jesus Barron was sentenced to 115 months in prison. Barron, 35, of Deming, pleaded guilty on Sept. 29, 2022, to one count of conspiracy, six counts of making a false statement in the acquisition of a firearm, and one count of smuggling goods from the United States.  Upon his release from prison, Barron will be subject to deportation.

According to the plea agreement and other court records, from January of 2021 to June of 2021, Barron paid his wife, Ana Barron, and their co-defendants, Victor Fierro-Caro, Mayra Madrid, Jose Orona, and Gloria Ramirez, to purchase firearms with the intention of smuggling them into Mexico from the United States. On June 7, 2021, seven of those firearms were seized from a Mexican national by Guardia Nacional (GN) officers operating a checkpoint in Fresnillo, Zacatecas, Mexico. Based on their knowledge, the GN officers believed that the firearms were destined for Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion members in Zacatecas. Mexican Cartels prefer certain makes, models, and calibers of firearms. These "weapons of choice" are generally semi-automatic versions of military type rifles and pistols, which was consistent with the guns seized by GN officers.

During the subsequent investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), it was determined that the seven firearms seized by GN officers had been purchased by Ana Barron and two others. ATF special agents interviewed the two other individuals who advised the agents that they and several others had been paid by Barron to purchase the guns from a Federal Firearms Licensee and that they knew the firearms would be smuggled to Mexico. During an interview with special agents from the ATF, Barron admitted to overseeing a firearm trafficking network in the United States.

Ana Baron pleaded guilty on March 21, 2022, to one count of conspiracy, three counts of making false statements in acquisition of firearms, and two counts of unlawful disposal of firearms to a prohibited person and was sentenced on Sept. 21, 2022.

Mayra Madrid pleaded guilty on Feb. 7, 2022, to one count each of conspiracy and making false statements in acquisition of firearms and was sentenced on May 23, 2022.

Gloria Ramirez pleaded guilty on April 26, 2022, to one count of conspiracy and two counts of making false statements in acquisition of firearms and was sentenced on Sept. 26, 2022.

Victor Fierro-Caro pleaded guilty on May 11, 2022, to one count of conspiracy, three counts of making false statements in acquisition of firearms, and three counts of unlawful dealing in firearms and was sentenced on April 5, 2023.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Ry Ellison and Maria Y. Armijo prosecuted the case.

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