Man receives 30-month sentence for trying to take ammo to Mexico

Posted: Saturday, March 10, 2012 12:00 am

A Tucson man was sentenced Thursday to 30 months in prison for attempting to export ammunition into Mexico.

Elias Bermudez-Vasquez, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Cindy K. Jorgensen, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Elias Bermudez-Vasquez, and co-defendants Emmanuel Bermudez-Vasquez and Charice Chauntel Gaede bought more than 100,000 rounds of ammunition and accepted large ammunition shipments to be sent into Mexico through May 2010, the release said.

In June 2010, Elias and Emmanuel Bermudez-Vasquez drove nearly 10,000 rounds of ammunition to the Tucson Mall from their home and left it in a parked car that was then picked up by another person and driven to the Nogales Port of Entry, the release said.

Emmanuel Bermudez-Vasquez then drove to the port of entry when the car broke down, the release said.

More than 20,000 additional rounds of ammunition were found in the defendants' house, the release said.

Emmanuel Bermudez-Vasquez, 27, and Gaede, 27, both of Tucson were sentenced Feb. 8.

Emmanuel Bermudez-Vasquez was sentenced to 50 months in prison and Gaede to 46 months, the release said.

The news release did not indicate if the Bermudez-Vasquezes are related.

Man receives 30-month sentence for trying to take ammo to Mexico