Weapons Smuggler Sentenced to Six Years

McALLEN, Texas (CN) - A Texan who illegally exported grenade launcher barrels to Mexico was sentenced to six years in federal prison.

Erik Perez-Bazan, 27, of Hidalgo, pleaded guilty in August 2013 to obtaining 40-mm grenade launcher barrels and recruiting other people to smuggle them into Mexico.

The barrels are included on the U.S. Munitions List. Any item on the list requires an export license to send to another country, a license Perez-Bazan did not have, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

"Perez-Bazan was convicted of engaging in a conspiracy to illegally export munitions to Mexico from December 2012 through June 2013. However, as part of his plea, he admitted he had been doing so for approximately five or six years," prosecutors said.

Perez-Bazan fled to Mexico when he learned that federal agents were investigating him. He was arrested at a Port of Entry in Pharr, Texas when he tried to return to the United States, prosecutors said.

U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez sentenced Perez-Bazan to 75 months in prison on Tuesday.

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