Oklahoma Man Gets 12 Years in Prison for Running Guns to Mexico for Mexican Drug Cartels

An Oklahoma man was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to smuggle guns to Mexico for Mexican drug cartels.

According to The News Tribune, Andrew Scott Pierson, 46, was sentenced in Little Rock, Arkansas on Wednesday for his November 9 guilty plea. The Oklahoma man faced up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $1 million at sentencing, the Associated Press reported.

An unidentified Arkansas man reported receiving gun components to process, which he recognized as counterfeit. The incident took place in 2017. Federal agents had linked it back to an organization in Laredo, Texas, smuggling the parts to Pierson in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.

In December 2018, Pierson turned himself over to federal agents at the Laredo port of entry and admitted ordering and receiving firearm parts from the United States.

The Oklahoma man also admitted to manufacturing automatic firearms in Mexico for the Northeastern and Jalisco New Generation cartels. Authorities had confirmed that Pierson's arrest impaired cartel weapons availability, ABC 7 reported.

Oklahoma Man Smuggling Guns to Mexico for Mexican Drug Cartels

In pushing against a higher sentence, the defense for Andrew Scott Pierson argued that the government had no way to identify the impact of their client's actions on others, according to KFOR News.

However, prosecutors claimed that Pierson's six years working with the Mexican drug cartels justified a stricter penalty.

U.S. Attorney Jonathan D. Ross said Pierson's participation in the exportation and manufacturing of illegal firearms to Mexican drug cartels is an inexcusable contribution to the violence done by the group.

Ross noted that they are committed to prosecuting any case that will help prevent criminal groups from acquiring firearms. Pierson was the sixth person to plead guilty to charges regarding the case. According to the prosecutors, one of those indicted is still in Mexico as a fugitive.

The Jalisco Cartel in Mexico

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel or Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) is considered one of Mexico's most dangerous and powerful drug cartels. It is allegedly involved in mass graves, kidnappings, acid baths, and video recording beheadings.

The Jalisco cartel had risen to power after Mexican security forces killed former Sinaloa Cartel capo Ignacio Coronel in July 2010.

Two groups fought for control of the drug trafficking in Jalisco state upon Coronel's death. The Torcidos and La Resistencia were the two factions that fought.

The Torcidos now became the Jalisco cartel and rose as the successors to the Sinaloan cap's network in the region, according to InsightCrime.

Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera is currently leading the Jalisco cartel. The U.S. government has offered a $10 million reward for information leading to his arrest as he continues to evade capture. Mexico, on the other hand, has offered a reward of 30 million pesos or US$1.6 million.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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