Big gun bust in Columbus today; police chief, mayor, trustee and eight others busted

[rabs]

Indictments released in arrest of Columbus police chief, mayor and trustee in firearms trafficking case (4:31 p.m.)Posted: 03/10/2011 04:31:20 PM MST


Read the full indictment unsealed by the court Thursday, to see the list of offenders

LAS CRUCES - United States Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales announced today that a federal grand jury in New Mexico has indicted eleven members of a firearms trafficking ring headquartered in Columbus, a small border village across from the Mexican city of Palomas, on firearms and smuggling charges.

The defendants charged in the 84-count indictment include Angelo Vega, the Columbus chief of police; Eddie Espinoza, the mayor of Columbus; and Blas Gutierrez, a village trustee in Columbus.

Ten of the eleven defendants were arrested without incident this morning by teams of federal, state and local law enforcement officers, and will make their initial appearances tomorrow in the federal courthouse in Las Cruces. Defendant Ignacio Villalobos has not been apprehended and is considered a fugitive. The officers also executed ten search warrants at eight residences, one business establishment, and at the office of the Columbus Police Department.


Full story:

http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-news/ci_17585264

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Looks like these guys were arrested for the same thing ATF was doing in letting guns "walk" into Mexico.