A straw purchaser pleaded guilty today to her role in a conspiracy to buy more than 150 guns for an unidentified Mexican man, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
Sylvia Diaz, 36, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to acquire a firearm from a licensed dealer by false statement Thursday morning. Her co-conspirator, Jose Cruz Diaz, also 36, pleaded guilty to the same charge last October.
In plea papers, the duo admitted to purchasing 160 firearms for a Mexican man who gave them a list of the types of firearms he wanted and money to purchase the guns.
Together, the pair conducted approximately 50 transactions at various sporting goods stores, gun shows, and pawn shops between October 2017 and March 2018. At some point, each signed an ATF form claiming to be the guns’ actual buyers.
Ms. Diaz now faces up to 5 years in federal prison. Mr. Diaz has already been sentenced to 5 years behind bars.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Cathy Richardson prosecuted the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
