Former Border Patrol agent gets 4 years for gun smuggling

By Aaron Bracamontes / El Paso Timeselpasotimes.com
Posted: 11/29/2012 10:49:34 AM MST

A former Border Patrol agent was sentenced to more than four years in a federal prison for gun-smuggling today.

Ricardo Montalvo, 28, pled guilty to the charges in August and was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge David Briones to 51 months in a low-security Federal Correctional Institution in Bastrop, Texas.

He will also pay a $100 fine and be on three years probation following his release.
Before Montalvo was sentenced he said he was ready to "better myself."

"I would like to apologize to you, the prosecutor, my family and my co-workers that I hurt," Montalvo said. "I made a terrible mistake and there are no excuses. I am ready to face the consequences. I hurt everyone I love."

Montalvo will also be enrolled in a drug and alcohol program while in prison, which could reduce his sentence by a year if successful.

His lawyer, Sib Abraham, said a dependence on alcohol was a contributing factor in Montalvo's crime because he "was not in a good place." Montalvo's family was in the courtroom for his sentencing. Some of them tried to fight back tears after the hearing.

The family declined comment.

Aaron Bracamontes may be reached at abracamontes@elpasotimes.com; 546-6156. Follow him on Twitter @AaronBrac.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/newupdated/ci_22089977/former-border-patrol-agent-gets-4-years-gun