Woman sentenced for smuggling firearms into Mexico

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 38-year-old Georgia woman has been sentenced today for smuggling several firearms and magazines hidden in a vehicle’s gas tank, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Mirna Luna pleaded guilty April 1.

U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. has now handed Luna a 46-month term of imprisonment to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the seriousness 0f trafficking of firearms.

Luna traveled from her Canton, Georgia, residence Dec. 15, 2024, and attempted to cross at the Brownsville/Matamoros  port of entry into Mexico.

Once there, authorities had referred her to secondary inspection where they discovered 17 firearms and 27 magazines hidden in the gas tank of the Nissan car she was driving.

Luna claimed ownership of the car and admitted she is the only person who drives it. She does not have a license to export firearms and has not applied for one.

She will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jose Esquivel and Ana Cano prosecuted the case.