Trial set for 11 from Columbus accused of smuggling guns to Mexican cartels

Ashley Meeks / Las Cruces Sun-News
Posted: 04/27/2011 10:51:55 AM MDT

LAS CRUCES - A trial date has been set for the 11 men and women - including the Columbus, N.M. mayor and police chief - accused of smuggling high-powered firearms to Mexican cartel members.

Trial has been scheduled for Oct. 3 before U.S. District Court Judge Robert Brack in Las Cruces.

An 84-count federal indictment accuses Mayor Eddie Espinoza, Columbus Village Trustee Blas "Woody" Gutierrez and former Columbus Police Chief Angelo Vega of running firearms into Mexico between 2010 and this year, purchasing them from Ian Garland, of Chaparral Guns in Chaparral, N.M.

The defendants were arrested during a massive morning raid March 10 by federal agents.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys had previously agreed to vacate previous trial deadlines because the case was so complex - including a one-month wiretap of five phone lines and months-long video surveillance of an alleged stash house in El Paso and the gun store where the weapons were purchased.

Weapons purchased by the defendants were allegedly found at the scenes of a murder, a kidnapping and a drug bust in Mexican border towns.

Gutierrez was allegedly taking some of his orders from Jesus "Mantequilla" Molinas, an inmate at Cereso federal prison in Juárez, according to court documents.

Only two of the defendants - Gutierrez's wife and his sister - are free on bond. One, Ignacio "Nacho" Villalobos remains at large.

The Columbus Board of Trustees last week approved a motion requesting Espinoza and Gutierrez resign from office.
Ashley Meeks can be reached at (575) 541-5462

http://www.elpasotimes.com/newupdated/ci_17939497