Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia
Edson Aregullin, a Mexican national, has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison for illegally purchasing firearms intended for transport from Georgia to Mexico. U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg commented on the case stating, “Illegal firearms trafficking wreaks havoc in communities within and outside our district.” He emphasized the importance of collaboration with federal law enforcement to prevent the illegal flow of firearms.
Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), highlighted the danger posed by illegal firearms crossing borders: “Every illegal firearm that crosses our border becomes a weapon of destruction in the wrong hands.” Kolodka affirmed ATF's commitment to dismantling these criminal networks.
The court heard that Aregullin conspired with individuals in Mexico to purchase over 150 firearms from dealers in Georgia's Northern District. The purchased weapons included 9mm pistols and AR-style rifles. Aregullin received instructions from his contacts regarding specific makes and models and facilitated their transportation using funds provided by a buyer in Mexico.
Some of these illegally acquired guns were used in violent crimes. Notably, a .223 caliber rifle bought by Aregullin was recovered after an encounter between police and armed combatants in Guanajuato, Mexico, which resulted in eight deaths and four injuries.
On May 22, 2025, Judge Steven D. Grimberg sentenced Aregullin to 71 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. Previously residing in Atlanta, Georgia, Aregullin pled guilty on November 19, 2024, to charges including Conspiracy to Traffic in Firearms and False Statements to a Federal Firearms Licensee.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Gabay-Smith prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). This initiative unites law enforcement at all levels with community efforts aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence.
For more information contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office via email or phone as listed above.
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