Illegal immigrant who trafficked heavy-duty guns to Mexican drug cartel hit with federal prison sentence, faces deportation
Jorge Alberto Morales-Calvo pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges that he and a cohort used a cartel broker to buy heavy-duty arms for the narcotraffickers — including a Barrett .50-caliber rifle and a FN Herstal Belgium 5.7X28 caliber pistol, the feds said.
'The Department of Justice is looking to hit the cartels from every angle and at every opportunity, which includes vigorously prosecuting not just the member of these terror groups, but those that enable them as well,' Nicholas Ganjei, US attorney for Southern Texas, said in a statement.
Advertisement
3 Federal prosecutors said a Mexican immigrant was nabbed trying to buy a .50 caliber Barrett rifle for a drug cartel.
REUTERS
3 Graffiti marking the turf of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, one of Mexico's most violent drug cartels.
AP
'Those that arm or otherwise empower the cartels are going to the meet the full force of the federal criminal justice system,' he said.
Advertisement
On the day the $16,000 deal was due to go down, Morales-Calvo waited in a car outside while co-defendant Homero Arteaga, 45, inspected the guns to complete the sale — when the feds moved in.
Prosecutors said the Mexican national tried to flee but didn't make it out of the parking lot.
3 Federal prosecutors in Texas said Jorge Alberto Morales-Calvo will face deportation after serving more than three years.
Getty Images
He pleaded guilty on Jan. 8 and was sentenced to three years and five months in federal prison this week — and will be turned over to immigration agents for deportation when he gets released.
Advertisement
Arteaga pleaded guilty on Nov. 21 and was sentenced earlier to nearly five years in prison.
'Trafficking firearms on behalf of violent cartels is not just illegal, it fuels deadly cycle of violence on both sides of the border,' said Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
'This case demonstrates how seriously we take these crimes and how we are using every tool and resource available to disrupt the illegal flow of weapons, dismantle cartel networks,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time Business News
3 hours ago
- Time Business News
Crime Concerns in Texas and the Need for Defense Attorneys
Texas faces several significant crime-related challenges that drive demand for criminal defense representation across the state. Violent Crime Trends Texas cities like Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin consistently rank among areas with elevated violent crime rates. Homicides, aggravated assaults, and armed robberies remain persistent concerns, particularly in urban centers. Drug-related violence and gang activity contribute substantially to these statistics. Property Crime Issues Burglary, theft, and vehicle theft rates remain high across both urban and rural areas. The state's proximity to the Mexican border creates unique challenges with smuggling operations and related property crimes. Rural areas face particular issues with cattle theft and equipment theft from agricultural operations. Drug-Related Offenses Texas serves as a major corridor for drug trafficking due to its extensive border with Mexico. This results in high rates of drug possession, distribution, and manufacturing charges. The state has also seen significant increases in fentanyl-related cases, creating both public health and criminal justice challenges. White-Collar Crime Major metropolitan areas see substantial white-collar criminal activity including fraud, embezzlement, and financial crimes. The state's large business sector and oil industry create opportunities for complex financial crimes that require specialized legal expertise. Why Texans Need Criminal Defense Attorneys Harsh Sentencing Guidelines Texas is known for aggressive prosecution and lengthy sentences. The state maintains some of the strictest penalties in the nation for various offenses, making skilled legal representation crucial for anyone facing charges. Complex Legal System Texas has intricate criminal codes and procedures that vary significantly between jurisdictions. Local practices in Harris County differ substantially from those in rural counties, requiring attorneys with specific regional knowledge. High Stakes Consequences Criminal convictions in Texas carry severe collateral consequences including employment barriers, housing restrictions, and loss of professional licenses. The state's approach to repeat offenders under habitual offender statutes can result in disproportionately harsh sentences. Resource Disparities Many defendants lack the resources to navigate the complex legal system effectively. Public defender offices are often overwhelmed, leading individuals to seek private counsel when facing serious charges. The combination of high crime rates, aggressive prosecution practices, and severe consequences creates a environment where competent legal representation becomes essential for protecting individual rights and achieving fair outcomes in the Texas criminal justice system. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Epoch Times
3 hours ago
- Epoch Times
Colombian Sentenced for Conspiring With FARC to Smuggle Tons of Cocaine to US
A Colombian citizen was sentenced for conspiring, in partnership with the violent Marxist group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), to traffic tons of cocaine to the United States, the U.S. Attorney's Office Southern District of New York announced on Aug. 19. Alberto Alonso Jaramillo Ramirez, 56, conspired with others in association with the FARC to obtain and distribute tons of cocaine to be sold in the United States, said authorities. He negotiated with individuals he believed to be traffickers from a Mexican drug trafficking organization called the Mexican DTO, which sought to establish a supply route from Venezuela to the United States.
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
Trump Strikes on Mexico Cartels Could Backfire Disastrously, Experts Warn
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Experts on U.S.-Mexico relations have told Newsweek that reported plans by the Trump administration for potential military operations against cartels in Mexico would be condemned as an act of aggression that could have disastrous unintended consequences — while also "fundamentally misdiagnosing" how the groups operate. The reported plans, first revealed by independent journalist Ken Klippenstein, are set to be ready for mid-September, and would involve action on Mexican soil at the direction of President Donald Trump. "Absent Mexican consent, any military action in Mexico will be condemned, I believe justifiably, as an act of aggression in violation of the most basic provision of the UN Charter and customary international law," Geoffrey Corn, director of the Center for Military Law and Policy at Texas Tech School of Law, told Newsweek. "The U.S. will undoubtedly assert it is acting pursuant to the inherent right of self-defense. But that right is only applicable in response to an actual or imminent armed attack, not on activities of a non-state group that cause harm to the nation, which I believe is the case." The increased enforcement action would come after the Trump administration classified select cartels and transnational criminal gangs as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) in February. The president has long argued that the U.S. needed to be firmer in how it dealt with the groups, widely seen as the driving force feeding the cross-border drug trade. Sending a Message A helicopter patrols under "Operation Mirror" to secure the border in coordination with the U.S. Border Patrol in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua State, Mexico on August 20, 2025. A helicopter patrols under "Operation Mirror" to secure the border in coordination with the U.S. Border Patrol in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua State, Mexico on August 20, 2025. HERIKA MARTINEZ/AFP via Getty Images When Newsweek asked the Department of Defense about the report, Sean Parnell, the Pentagon's spokesperson, reaffirmed the president's FTO designation and the belief that the groups are a "direct threat" to national security. "These cartels have engaged in historic violence and terror throughout our Hemisphere—and around the globe-- that has destabilized economies and internal security of countries but also flooded the United States with deadly drugs, violent criminals, and vicious gangs," Parnell said. Klippenstein's report is not the first to detail potential military action, however, with the U.S. moving personnel into the seas around Mexico and Latin America in recent weeks. "On the practical level, we have to clarify what 'military action' means. One could think of drone strikes on infrastructure, but fentanyl production and trafficking in Mexico is highly fragmented—small networks, labs inside houses in cities like Culiacán. Drone strikes there would be complicated and dangerous," David Mora, senior analyst for Mexico at International Crisis Group, told Newsweek Thursday. "If it were instead a deployment of U.S. troops to capture or eliminate a criminal leader, Trump might sell it as a victory. It would sound good and grab headlines, but it would be an empty victory. History shows that this strategy does not solve drug trafficking or organized crime. "On the contrary, it increases violence. Even the Department of Justice and the DEA have admitted this." This aerial view shows the MexicoU.S. border wall extending into the Pacific Ocean at Playas de Tijuana, Baja California state, Mexico on August 12, 2025. This aerial view shows the MexicoU.S. border wall extending into the Pacific Ocean at Playas de Tijuana, Baja California state, Mexico on August 12, 2025. GUILLERMO ARIAS/AFP via Getty Images Military Action Could Backfire on the Border When the FTO designation was first signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, policy experts raised concerns about the unintended consequences the move could have, particularly around immigration. While Trump has all but shut down the southern border with Mexico, one critic said branding cartels as terrorist organizations could lead to stronger claims for asylum – a concern echoed by Cecilia Farfán-Méndez, the head of the North American Observatory at Global Initiative Against Transational Organized Crime. "It is mutually exclusive from the border and migration objectives the administration has. Evidence shows that violence drives internal displacement," Farfán-Méndez told Newsweek. "U.S. military action in Mexico, and potential responses by criminal groups in Mexico, could generate displacement of communities. "As with other episodes of violence and displacement, it is not unthinkable these communities migrate to the border and seek asylum in the US. This prevents the orderly migration process the Trump administration has sought." All three experts Newsweek spoke with raised concerns about the viability and constitutionality of making such moves, when cartels have not necessarily carried out a coordinated attack on the U.S. that could be defined as military action that would require like-for-like retaliation. Farfán-Méndez said she believed there was a misdiagnosis on the part of the White House regarding how criminal gangs operate, explaining that the drug trade was not "three men hiding in the Sierra Madre that you can target and eliminate", and that there were actors working in concert on both sides of the border. U.S. Sentencing Commission data for 2024 backed that up, showing 83.5 percent of those sentenced for fentanyl trafficking within the U.S. were American citizens, rather than foreign nationals. Sheinbaum Could Be Political Victim Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum is shown during a press conference on June 6, 2025. Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum is shown during a press conference on June 6, 2025. The experts also questioned how operations could affect the relationship between the U.S. and its southern neighbor, where President Claudia Sheinbaum has been clear publicly in her efforts to stem the flow of immigrants and drugs across the border while managing her relationship with Washington over other issues like trade. "Mexico has always had less leverage," Mora said. "If during Sheinbaum's government there were any kind of unilateral U.S. action, it would be extremely politically sensitive. In Mexico, any unilateral action is equal to invasion. "Imagine the slogan: being the president under whom the United States invaded Mexico again. Politically, it would be almost the end for her." For the Trump administration, which came into office in January promising strong border security and the end of fentanyl trafficking into the U.S., the likelihood of stronger actions on cartels appears clear, if the methods and strategy are less so. Parnell told Newsweek that taking action against cartels, at the president's directive, required a "whole-of-government effort and thorough coordination with regional partners" to eliminate the abilities of cartels to "threaten the territory, safety, and security" of the U.S. Corn said any use of military force against the cartels would ultimately do more harm than good. "I think this also is consistent with a trend we are seeing: when you think your best tool is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a nail," the lawyer said. "This administration seems determined to expand the use of military power for all sorts of what it designates as 'emergencies.' But this is fundamentally not a problem amenable to military attack."
