Marine Corp Reservist Caught Attempting To Export Assault Weapons.
Friday, May 28, 2010

Last week on the morning of Thursday, May 20, border patrol agents on duty near the south Texas brush country town of La Pryor encountered a pickup truck stopped on the side of the road due to mechanical problems. This area is approximately 50 miles from the border with Mexico.

Agents became suspicious after observing that the truck had sustained substantial damage, and the two occupants of the vehicle made conflicting statements.

A Border Patrol canine alerted agents to the rear of the pickup where weapons were found hidden inside a load of plywood in the bed of the truck.

The vehicle was transported to the Uvalde Border Patrol Station for intensive inspection. Agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responded to the Uvalde Station to launch an investigation.

Agents found 52 AR-15 assault rifles, 4 AK-47 assault rifles, 1 SKS rifle, 1 Ruger Mini-14 rifle, 1 FN Fal assault rifle and 49 high-capacity rifle magazines.

Soon after, the driver of the pickup, Cristobal Riojas, 29, a Marine Corp reservist and native of Dallas, Texas was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with unlawfully attempting to export firearms. If convicted, Riojas faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.

Federal judge denies bond

A week later on Wednesday, May 26, Riojas appeared in federal court in Del Rio, Texas for a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Victor R. Garcia.

Judge Garcia listened to testimony from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Special Agent Jose Mendoza, who reviewed Riojas’ detention by the Border Patrol and described a series of seven photos taken during the search of the truck Riojas was driving.

Some of the photos show the rifles and magazines, which were wrapped in green cellophane and stashed inside a compartment cut out of the load of plywood in the bed of the truck.

Mendoza, answering questions posed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Seal, also testified Riojas was arrested while he was a juvenile on state charges of burglary, criminal trespass and marijuana possession.

Cross-examined by Riojas’ attorney, Heather Fisher of Denton, Mendoza said Riojas readily provided agents with his driver’s license and his military identification showing that he is a member of the United States Marine Corps Reserves.

Mendoza said Riojas readily allowed the search of the truck, while a passenger, identified as Erika Amaya of Carrollton “lawyered upâ€