U.S. Authorities Dismantle Arizona-Based Gun Trafficking Network Supplying Weapons to Mexico
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced the dismantling of a gun trafficking network operating in Phoenix, composed of 20 U.S. citizens and one Mexican national, who allegedly smuggled firearms into Mexico between December 2024 and September 2025 for at least one criminal organization, which authorities did not identify.
According to the federal indictment obtained by MILENIO, Fernando Daniel Castro, a U.S. citizen from Phoenix, allegedly led the operation by directing more than 20 individuals to purchase firearms as straw buyers before the weapons were trafficked into Mexico.
All individuals charged in the case, including Fernando Daniel Castro, have been arrested. Most remain in criminal proceedings under pretrial release conditions, while Kenneth William Zwicker and the only Mexican defendant in the primary case, Juan Manuel Torres Pérez, remain in custody after Torres Pérez was arrested in Nogales, Arizona.
Military-Grade Weapons and Seized Arsenal
During a press conference announcing the indictment, authorities displayed several of the weapons seized from the trafficking network, including:
- A Browning .50-caliber heavy machine gun
- A Barrett .50-caliber precision rifle
- Additional heavy machine guns
- Submachine guns
- An AR-15-style rifle
- Handguns
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, investigators have seized more than 100 firearms and over 125,000 rounds of ammunition.
Federal prosecutors allege that the organization conducted at least 58 firearm purchases involving more than 150 weapons, all connected to the operation led by Fernando Daniel Castro. Authorities also seized $13,422 in cash from Castro, approximately 250,000 Mexican pesos.
Federal Charges
The investigation is being handled by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF).
The indictment includes 158 criminal counts against the 21 defendants, including charges related to:
- Firearms trafficking
- Making false statements during firearm purchases
The investigation also incorporates evidence from four separate federal firearms trafficking cases.
Related Federal Cases
Emmanuel Rabina Velderrain
Mexican national Emmanuel Rabina Velderrain pleaded guilty on March 31 after attempting to smuggle 42 AK-style rifles and magazines hidden inside a vehicle from the United States into Mexico.
Amairany Guadalupe Armendáriz Álvarez
Another Mexican citizen, Amairany Guadalupe Armendáriz Álvarez, was sentenced on April 27 to two years in prison after admitting she intended to enter the United States to collect three rifles and one handgun for transport back to Mexico.
Alejandro Rodríguez and Maricruz Carrillo
On May 13, Alejandro Rodríguez and Maricruz Carrillo, both from Phoenix, admitted purchasing multiple rifles, handguns, and ammunition intended for illegal export to another country.
José Daniel Medina, Juan Jesús Estévez, and Christian Alberto Nereida
Between June and July, Mexican nationals José Daniel Medina and Juan Jesús Estévez admitted purchasing firearms and ammunition in the United States that were later transported into Mexico.
A third participant, Christian Alberto Nereida, an Arizona resident, is scheduled to plead guilty on August 12 on similar charges.
Upcoming Trial
Preliminary court schedules indicate that the trial against Fernando Daniel Castro and Anthony Ontiveros is expected to begin on September 1.
Source: milenio
