U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
Southern District of Texaswww.justice.gov/usao/txs For Immediate Release

June 22, 2010

José Angel Moreno, United States Attorney
Contact: Angela Dodge
Public Information Officer
(713) 567-9388

Three 20-Year-Olds Sentenced to Prison for Lying to Buy Firearms

As Convicted Felons They Are Prohibited From Even Possessing a Firearm

(BROWNSVILLE, Texas) — Three 20-year-old Brownsville residents who lied to buy firearms for another are now convicted felons and will be serving prison terms, United States Attorney José Angel Moreno announced today.

Yesterday, United States District Judge Hilda G. Tagle sentenced Jesus Gutierrez, 20, Roel Gonzalez, 20, and Angel Zuniga, 20, to prison for purchasing firearms by making false statements. Gutierrez, who bought two firearms, and Gonzalez, who purchased only one, were each sentenced to six months in federal prison to be followed by a two-year-term of supervised release. Zuniga, who purchased three firearms, was sentenced to seven months in federal prison to be followed by a like number of years of supervised release.

From Oct. 16, 2008 to Nov. 6, 2008, an individual known to the defendants as “Tavoâ€