Florida man convicted after attempting to buy assault rifles, grenades

Florida man convicted after attempting to buy assault rifles, grenades from undercover agent

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The U.S. District Court House in downtown New Orleans

By Andy Grimm, NOLA.com | Times-Picayune
October 29, 2014 at 6:38 PM, updated October 29, 2014 at 7:38 PM

An Orlando man who tried to buy hand grenades and more than 100 assault rifles from an undercover agent was found guilty on weapons charges Wednesday (Oct. 29), U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced.

Jaime Jauregui, 36, met with the agent several times to set up the purchase of 60 Colt M4 assault rifles, 30 hand grenades and 50 AK-47 assault rifles -- weapons he said he intended to sell to member of a Mexican drug cartel, according to Jauregui's 2013 indictment.

After a two-day trial, the jury found Jauregui guilty of conspiracy to violate the National Firearms Act and possession of unregistered firearms

To broker the deal, Jauregui met with the undercover agents in Mandeville, and looked over weapons at a Mandeville storage facility.

In March 2012, Jauregui traveled to Covington with three friends and made his final payment. He loaded some of the weapons into a large cooler and had his friends drive them back to Florida, while Jauregui planned to ride with the undercover agent and follow a larger shipment of guns headed for Texas, where Jauregui said a buyer would make final payment.

Three other men were charged along with Jauregui but reached plea deals with prosecutors. U.S. District Judge Jay Zainey set Jauregui's sentencing for Jan. 27.

"Jaime Jauregui and his co-conspirators planned to make a fortune by trafficking in illegal weapons intended to end up in the hands of Mexican drug cartels," stated U.S. Attorney Polite. "Fortunately, the efforts of our law enforcement partners intervened before Jauregui's criminality further jeopardized the safety of individuals here in the United States and in Mexico."

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