Two Mexican criminal aliens pleaded guilty and a third was found guilty by a jury in recent days for their roles in a conspiracy to trade drugs and cash for military–grade weapons -- including a Stinger anti–aircraft missile -- for use by Sinaloan drug cartels. The three suspects were arrested in late 2009 as part of a multi–agency joint undercover operation known as Operation White Gun, according to reports obtained by the National Association of Chiefs of Police and its Organized Crime Committee.
David Diaz–Sosa, 26, of Sinaloa, Mexico, pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Acquire and Export an Anti–Aircraft Missile, one count of Conspiracy to Possess Unregistered Firearms (Machine Guns), and Transfer Firearms for Use in a Drug Trafficking Crime, one count of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine for his role in conspiring to acquire, transfer and export military–grade weaponry to a Mexican drug trafficking organization. He is set to be sentenced before U.S. District Court Judge James Teilborg on August 1, 2011.
Emilia Palomino–Robles, 42 of Sonora, Mexico, entered a guilty plea to one count of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute over 500 grams of Methamphetamine for her role as a courier delivering both 2,029 grams of actual pure methamphetamine and $139,900 to be used as a partial payment for the military–grade weaponry, that was ultimately destined for export and transfer to the Republic of Mexico, and a Mexican drug trafficking organization. Her sentencing is set before Judge Teilborg on July 25, 2011.
Finally, a federal jury in Phoenix last week found Jorge DeJesus-Casteneda, 22, of Sinaloa, Mexico, guilty of Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 grams of more of Methamphetamine (11.8 pounds). DeJesus–Casteneda was arrested while delivering methamphetamine that Defendant Diaz–Sosa intended to use as a partial down payment to complete a weapons deal. The case was tried before Judge Teilborg on April 19, 2011. His sentencing is set for July 25, 2011.
It is a chilling thought that warring Mexican drug cartels are actively seeking military–grade anti–aircraft missiles and explosives in Arizona, so I am extremely proud of the work this office and our law enforcement partners have done to uncover and stop this particular scheme, said U.S. Attorney Dennis K. Burke. This was a complex investigation, and a tremendous team effort, that put a stop to a well–financed criminal conspiracy to acquire massive destructive firepower.
In late 2009, David Diaz–Sosa, a weapons and narcotics broker, began negotiating the purchase of high–powered, military–grade weapons for the Sinaloa Drug Cartel, the largest of the Mexican Drug Cartels.
Shortly after the weapons negotiations began, Diaz–Sosa arranged for the delivery of 4.5 pounds methamphetamine to serve as a down payment for the weapons. Emilia Palomino–Robles made that initial delivery on behalf of Diaz–Sosa.
For approximately the next three months, Diaz–Sosa and his partners negotiated with undercover federal agents for the purchase of the following weapons: A Dragon Fire anti–tank weapon; two AT–4s (an 84–mm unguided, portable, single–shot recoilless smoothbore weapon); a Law Rocket (a Light Anti-Tank Weapon); a Stinger Missile (a portable infrared homing anti-aircraft surface-to-air missile); two Def Tech grenade launchers and a dozen 40 mm grenades; one M–60 machine gun; one .30 caliber machine gun; and three cases of hand grenades.
As these negotiations continued, Diaz–Sosa and his associates agreed to exchange both cash and methamphetamine as a final payment for the weapons. On February 17, 2010, Diaz–Sosa went to an undercover warehouse maintained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, to finalize the weapons exchange at which time Diaz–Sosa and DeJesus–Castenada were taken into custody by federal agents.
At the time of his arrest, DeJesus–Castenada was responsible for possessing with the intent to deliver over 11 pounds of methamphetamine. Later that same day, Palomino–Robles was arrested in possession of $139,900, which was determined to be additional portion of the weapons payment.
**Jim Kouri, CPP, formerly Fifth Vice-President, is currently a Board Member of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, an editor for ConservativeBase.com, and he's a columnist for Examiner.com. In addition, he's a blogger for the Cheyenne, Wyoming Fox News Radio affiliate KGAB (www.kgab.com). Kouri also serves as political advisor for Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Michael Moriarty.
He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. Kouri writes for many police and security magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer and others. He's a news writer and columnist for AmericanDaily.Com, MensNewsDaily.Com, MichNews.Com, and he's syndicated by AXcessNews.Com. Kouri appears regularly as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Fox News Channel, Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, etc.
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