Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
Two individuals have been sentenced for their involvement in attempting to traffic firearms into Mexico for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jorge Alberto Morales-Calvo, a 25-year-old Mexican national, pleaded guilty on January 8, while Homero Arteaga Jr., a 45-year-old from Mission, entered his plea on November 21, 2024.
U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen sentenced Morales-Calvo to 41 months in prison. As he is not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his sentence. During the hearing, it was noted that both Morales-Calvo and Arteaga were aware that the firearms were intended to be smuggled across the border and delivered to CJNG. In delivering the sentence, Judge Kazen remarked on the destabilizing impact of selling firearms to cartels in Mexico. Arteaga had previously been sentenced to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
The investigation uncovered that Arteaga and Morales-Calvo were purchasing firearms for a broker working with CJNG. On September 18, 2024, they planned to buy a Barrett .50 caliber rifle for $15,000 and an FN Herstal Belgium pistol with a large capacity magazine for $850.
The pair used $16,000 in counterfeit currency for the transaction. Upon arriving in Zapata for the deal, Morales-Calvo stayed in their vehicle while Arteaga inspected the weapons and retrieved the fake money before taking possession of them. Law enforcement arrested Arteaga immediately afterward; Morales-Calvo attempted to escape but was stopped before leaving the parking lot.
“The Department of Justice is looking to hit the cartels from every angle and at every opportunity," stated Ganjei. "Those that arm or otherwise empower the cartels are going to meet the full force of the federal criminal justice system.”
Michael Weddel of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) emphasized: “Trafficking firearms on behalf of violent cartels is not just illegal; it fuels deadly cycles of violence on both sides of the border.” He highlighted how seriously these crimes are taken and noted efforts using all available tools and resources "to disrupt illegal weapon flows" and dismantle cartel networks.
Both men will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility yet to be determined.
The ATF led this investigation with support from Border Patrol and Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch prosecuted this case.
This case falls under Operation Take Back America—an initiative aimed at eliminating illegal immigration impacts as well as transnational criminal organizations like CJNG—streamlining Departmental efforts via Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) alongside Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
