[Breitbart] Federal prosecutors in Laredo secured convictions against two illegal aliens who built and sold machine guns and cocaine in the border city. One of the men pleaded guilty earlier this year, while the second one went to trial this week. Jurors found him guilty of all counts.| “He’s guilty as sin, yer Honour. Can’t get no guiltier than that!” |
The case began in December 2024, when Laredo Police officers and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives worked on an undercover case where they bought a Glock pistol that had been fitted with a switch that turned it into a fully-automatic weapon. Court documents filed in the case revealed that agents were talking with Fernando Patino Jr., a man described by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas as an illegal alien from Mexico who is not legally allowed to possess firearms.
"That's why I'm selling it, ese"
In January 2024, Patino introduced the undercover agent to Garcia Guajardo, who said the gun was ready and provided the handgun to the agents for $1,100. Days later, authorities purchased a second Glock with a switch for $1,200.
Soon after, agents coordinated additional handgun purchases for a total of ten Glocks with switches and various quantities of cocaine. According to federal prosecutors, when authorities raided a house used by the men, they found several weapons, drugs, and scales.
In court documents, authorities revealed that both Garcia Guajardo and Patino were in the country illegally and are not able to possess any firearms legally. Additionally, the two men did not have any of the federal documents needed to build or possess machine guns or automatic weapons. ATF agents claimed that the switch that the men installed had turned the Glock pistols from semi-automatic weapons into machine guns.
Patino previously pleaded guilty to the charges and is expected to face a lesser sentence during his hearing next year.
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Laredo: 2025-10-28 'He said he didn't mean to do it': Man stabbed girlfriend 55 times after choking her teen daughter to death before going to party
Laredo: 2025-10-26 ICE, CBP seize 400 firearms hidden in fake trailer walls at southern border crossing
Laredo: 2025-11-03 500 Firearms Bound for Mexico Seized at Texas Border ‐ 2 Arrested
Laredo: 2025-10-28 'He said he didn't mean to do it': Man stabbed girlfriend 55 times after choking her teen daughter to death before going to party
Laredo: 2025-10-26 ICE, CBP seize 400 firearms hidden in fake trailer walls at southern border crossing