A Brownsville resident has been sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for attempting to illegally export firearms to Mexico, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Kenji Daniel Juarez, 19, pleaded guilty on April 23 to charges related to receiving, concealing, buying, selling and facilitating the transportation and sale of firearms and ammunition magazines prior to their exportation.
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. imposed the sentence, which will be followed by three years of supervised release. During the sentencing hearing, additional evidence was presented, including a photograph of the weapons involved in the offense. The court noted that the weapons were highly dangerous and could have been used by criminal organizations such as cartels.
The incident occurred on November 16, 2024, when law enforcement observed Juarez receive multiple firearms from several individuals at a gun show in McAllen on two separate occasions. Authorities later approached him at a residence in Brownsville.
A search of his bedroom revealed seven handguns, eight semi-automatic rifles and 22 ammunition magazines. Juarez admitted that these items were intended for export to Mexico and acknowledged previous smuggling activities involving firearms and ammunition across the border.
Juarez remains in custody while awaiting transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel Castro prosecuted the case.
"This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results," according to information provided by authorities.
