Rachel C. Hernandez Acting United States Attorney for the District of Arizona | U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona
Abel Airam Franco Garcia, a 22-year-old from Sonora, Mexico, has been sentenced to 37 months in prison by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan. After his prison term, he will also undergo three years of supervised release. Franco Garcia had entered a guilty plea to the charge of smuggling goods from the United States.
The incident which led to his arrest occurred on June 25, 2024, at the San Luis, Arizona Port of Entry. Franco Garcia was attempting to leave the United States when authorities conducted a search of his vehicle. This search revealed four firearms, six magazines (two of which were high-capacity), ammunition, and suspected fentanyl. Upon interrogation, Franco Garcia confessed to traveling to Phoenix earlier in the day and being compensated for transporting the firearms to Mexico.
This prosecution is associated with Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence by uniting law enforcement agencies and community groups. The Department of Justice has implemented a strategy to reduce violent crime, emphasizing trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting preventive community-based organizations, prioritizing strategic enforcement, and measuring outcomes.
Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation for this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Goldberg from the District of Arizona, Phoenix, was responsible for the prosecution.
