A federal grand jury indictment has been unsealed charging Frank Guereca, 22, of Olathe, with stealing 41 firearms from a gun store in Raytown, Missouri. Guereca was arrested while crossing the border from Mexico back into the United States and made his initial court appearance in El Paso, Texas. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco emphasized the importance of cooperation with Mexican law enforcement in stopping the flow of firearms into Mexico, where they can end up in the hands of violent cartels.
Director Steven Dettelbach of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) highlighted the dangers of unlawful firearms trafficking, stating that guns trafficked to Mexico often fuel crime and violence. U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore for the Western District of Missouri expressed a commitment to stopping the flow of illegal firearms, whether within the United States or smuggled into Mexico, to prevent further crime and violence in communities.
Court documents reveal that Guereca and accomplices used a stolen U-Haul to carry out the firearms theft, with some of the stolen pistols being recovered in California and various locations in Mexico. Guereca, who had crossed the border multiple times since the theft, faces charges for aiding in the theft of pistols of various manufacturers and calibers.
The case is being investigated by ATF and the Raytown Police Department, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley K. Kavanaugh prosecuting. Guereca's arrest marks a step towards curbing illegal firearms trafficking and preventing further violence in both the United States and Mexico.
This indictment is a reminder that all defendants are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.