CBP officer charged with straw purchasing firearms

CBP officer charged with straw purchasing firearms

May 25, 2012 10:58 AM
By MADELINE BUCKLEY/The Brownsville Herald

Federal agents arrested a U.S. Custom and Border Protection officer Thursday accused of purchasing firearms for someone else, according to a criminal complaint unsealed today.

Manuel Eduardo Pena, 38, faced a U.S. magistrate judge this morning on a charge of straw purchasing firearms.

Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents in the Office of Professional Responsibility observed Pena purchasing hunting rifles from Academy Sports and Outdoors on two separate occasions in December, the complaint states.

The agents then saw Pena sell the weapons to a man in the parking lot, the complaint alleges.

Upon purchase, Pena wrote he was buying the guns for himself.

U.S. magistrate judge Ronald G. Morgan set bail at $50,000, which Pena has posted.

He is scheduled to appear in court again next week.

Pena has worked with CBP for 12 years.

CBP officer charged with straw purchasing firearms | pena, purchasing, complaint - Brownsville Herald

BP officer charged with straw purchase of firearms

May 25, 2012 8:07 PM

Madeline Buckley
http://images.onset.freedom.com/moni...manuelpena.jpg
Manuel Pena

Federal agents arrested a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer Thursday accused of illegally purchasing firearms for someone else, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Friday.

Manuel Eduardo Pena, 38, appeared Friday morning before a U.S. magistrate judge.

Pena is on administrative leave pending adjudication of the charges, CBP spokesman Eddie Perez said.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the Office of Professional Responsibility observed Pena purchasing hunting rifles from Academy Sports and Outdoors on two separate occasions in December, the complaint states.

The agents then saw Pena sell the weapons to a man in the parking lot, the complaint alleges.

After the first time, on Dec. 5, ICE and FBI agents tailed the buyer to his home and asked him about the purchase, the complaint says.

The man admitted to buying the rifle from Pena because as a legal permanent resident, he could not legally buy a weapon himself.

The agents took as evidence the receipt for the purchase and the rifle.

Several weeks later, on Dec. 19, agents surveying the Academy store again witnessed Pena purchase a hunting rifle for reimbursement from the same man.

The complaint states that upon purchasing the rifles, Pena wrote he was buying them for his own use.

Pena, who was released on $50,000 bond, is scheduled to appear in court again next week.

CBP officer charged with straw purchase of firearms | pena, agents, complaint - TheMonitor.com