Clinton J. Johnson U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma
A Mexican national and his son have been charged by criminal complaint for allegedly trafficking more than 75 firearms and bulk ammunition purchased from a gun show in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Andres Avila, 48, is accused of trafficking firearms and being an alien unlawfully in the United States in possession of a firearm and ammunition. His son, Anthony Avila, 22, from Houston, Texas, faces charges for trafficking firearms as well.
According to court documents, federal agents observed Andres and Anthony Avila engaging in what appeared to be straw purchasing and firearms trafficking at the gun show. The two were seen working together to buy firearms while wearing backpacks. When their backpacks filled up, they reportedly emptied them into large totes under a vendor’s table. It is alleged that they paid cash to private sellers to avoid detection by law enforcement.
After spending over six hours at the event making several purchases, agents saw the pair leave in a vehicle with Texas license plates. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop and found large amounts of bulk ammunition marked in the vehicle that matched ammo bought at the show. A records check revealed that Andres was not legally present in the United States and is prohibited from possessing firearms. Further checks confirmed Anthony as his son.
Vendors interviewed by agents said they met Andres and Anthony through a Texas pawn shop. They explained that Andres is not legally inside the country and that more than 75 firearms were stored in totes beneath their booth. The vendors also noted that Andres and Anthony would pay cash for firearm magazines.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are leading the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell is prosecuting the case.
“A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” according to officials.
This case falls under Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative led by the Department of Justice aimed at countering illegal immigration, eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators by combining resources from various federal programs.
