Two Indicted on Federal Firearms and Smuggling Charges

United States Attorney John E. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge Dewey J. Webb, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Houston Division and Special Agent in Charge Jerry Robinette, U.S. ICE Homeland Security Investigations announced the return of a federal grand jury indictment in San Antonio this afternoon charging a San Antonio woman and a U.S. resident living in Piedras Negras, Mexico, in a conspiracy to purchase machine guns and attempt to smuggle them into Mexico.

The indictment charges 36-year-old Yadira Mauricio Ybarra and 22-year-old Willy Mendoza with one count each of conspiracy to possess machine guns; possession of machine guns; and, smuggling goods from the United States.

According to court records, on April 19, 2011, federal authorities arrested Ybarra and Mendoza after they paid $10,000 to an undercover agent and took possession of ten firearms–four fully-automatic machine guns and six semi-automatic assault rifles. Court records also reflect that according to Mendoza, the firearms were going to be taken to Mexico.

Upon conviction of conspiracy to possess machine guns, the defendants face up to five years in federal prison; up to ten years in federal prison on each of the remaining counts.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and ICE Homeland Security Investigations together with the San Antonio Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Mark Roomberg is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.

An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.