Man pleads guilty to possessing ‘Wicho' gun
Man pleads guilty to possessing ‘Wicho' gun
June 19, 2012 9:52 PM
By MADELINE BUCKLEY/The Brownsville Herald
A Mexican national pleaded guilty Tuesday to entering the United States illegally and possessing a jewel-encrusted handgun that is at the center of the case against alleged Gulf Cartel leader José Luis Zúńiga-Hernández.
Luis Iván Nino-Duenes, 27, admitted to U.S. District Judge Hilda Tagle that he did not have documentation to enter the U.S., and that at the time of his arrest, he was in possession of a gold Colt .38 Super handgun, which spelled out “Wicho” in diamonds and rubies.
The serial number of the gold handgun listed in the indictment against Nino-Duenes matches the number listed in an indictment for Zúńiga-Hernández, which charges him with illegal possession of the same handgun, customized with his nickname, “Comandante Wicho.”
Zúńiga-Hernández pleaded guilty in January to the immigration and firearm charges levied against him but withdrew that guilty plea Monday.
The alleged former Matamoros plaza boss was arrested Oct. 26 near Santa Maria along with several others as he crossed from Mexico to the United States.
His attorneys have said he was fleeing Mexico under threat of death due to his ousting as Matamoros plaza boss.
Border Patrol agents arrested Nino-Duenes as he waded across the Rio Grande, also near Santa Maria on Oct. 26, a criminal complaint states.
He will be sentenced Sept. 17 and could face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Man pleads guilty to possessing ‘Wicho’ gun | guilty, possessing, handgun - Brownsville Herald
Illegal alien from Mexico pleads guilty to unlawfully possessing a firearm
I.C.E. News Release
June 19, 2012
Brownsville, TX
Illegal alien from Mexico pleads guilty to unlawfully possessing a firearm
Defendant customized his .38-caliber handgun with diamonds, rubies and gold
BROWNSVILLE, Texas — A Mexican national pleaded guilty Tuesday for being an illegal alien possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas. This guilty plea resulted from an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Luis Ivan Nino-Duenes, 27, of Control, Mexico, pleaded guilty in federal court June 19 just minutes before the jury panel was to be selected for the trial. Nino-Duenes admitted he illegally entered the United States, and that at the time of his arrest he possessed a customized gold, diamond and ruby encrusted Colt .38-caliber handgun.
U.S. District Court Judge Hilda G. Tagle accepted the guilty plea, and scheduled sentencing for Sept. 17, at which time Nino-Duenes could face up to 10 years in prison. The conviction also carries a possible maximum $250,000 fine. Nino-Duenes has been in custody since his arrest Oct. 26, 2011 where he will remain pending that hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel Castro, Southern District of Texas, prosecuted the case.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.
ICE is a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. To report suspicious activity, call 1-866-347-2423 or complete our tip form.
U.S. Dept of Homeland Security
Illegal alien from Mexico pleads guilty to unlawfully possessing a firearm
