ATF NEWS: Mexican Trafficking Firearms

Gregory Kielma • May 31, 2025

Mexican National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearms Trafficking

Mexican National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearms Trafficking
Tuesday, May 27, 2025

U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia

Mexican National Purchased More Than 150 Firearms to Be Smuggled from the United States to Mexico

ATLANTA – Edson Aregullin has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison for unlawfully purchasing firearms for transport from Georgia to Mexico. 

“Illegal firearms trafficking wreaks havoc in communities within and outside our district,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We are proud to stand alongside our federal law enforcement partners in helping to stem the unlawful flow of firearms to criminals.”

“Every illegal firearm that crosses our border becomes a weapon of destruction in the wrong hands,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “ATF is committed to shutting down these criminal pipelines with precision and force. Our communities – here and abroad – deserve nothing less.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Edson Aregullin conspired with several individuals in Mexico to purchase more than 150 firearms from various firearms dealers in the Northern District of Georgia. Those firearms included 9mm pistols and AR-style rifles. Aregullin’s contacts in Mexico sent him detailed instructions concerning the makes and models of the firearms to buy. Aregullin bought the firearms with funds received from the actual buyer in Mexico and then facilitated transportation of the weapons to Mexico.

The guns Areguillin purchased illegally were used to commit violent crimes. For example, on April 21, 2022, Aregullin bought a .223 caliber rifle that law enforcement officers in Guanajuato, Mexico recovered just a few months later after a deadly encounter between municipal police and armed combatants. During the ensuing melee, eight people were killed, and four were injured.

On May 22, 2025, United States District Judge Steven D. Grimberg sentenced Edson Aregullin, 47, a Mexican national previously residing in Atlanta, Georgia, to 71 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On November 19, 2024, Aregullin pled guilty to Conspiracy to Traffic in Firearms, three counts of Trafficking in Firearms, and three counts of False Statements to a Federal Firearms Licensee.   

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Gabay-Smith prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

Updated May 27, 2025


By Gregory Kielma July 17, 2025
DeSantis Delivers: Florida Approves Gun & Ammo Tax Holiday for Fall Mark Chesnut Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has fulfilled his promise to Sunshine State gun owners by implementing a tax holiday on firearms, ammunition, and related products. On July 2, DeSantis signed the state budget bill, which included a provision removing taxes from September 8 to December 31 on firearms, ammunition, accessories, and other outdoor items, such as fishing and bowhunting gear. Accessories subject to the tax holiday will include items “commonly used for firearms, such as charging handles, cleaning kits, holsters, optics, pistol grips, and stocks, but excluding apparel.” The calculated savings for Florida buyers could amount to $8 million or more on guns and ammo purchases alone. DeSantis has been pushing his “Second Amendment Summer” since February, when he first introduced the budget for the upcoming year. Originally, it was planned to eliminate the taxes from Memorial Day to the 4th of July, but the dates were changed during debate, which extended the length of the tax-free period. At the time, the governor thought support for the measure would be a no-brainer. “I think this is going to be wildly popular,” DeSantis said at the time the proposal was announced. “Why would they want to fight back on that? This is something their voters would expect them to support.” Not surprisingly, however, that didn’t occur, as anti-gun lawmakers and gun-ban groups tried to turn the idea into a dangerous thing that would help violent criminals, not a tax break that would help average Florida families. Cathy Swerdlow, chair of the League of Women Voters’ gun violence action prevention team, quickly began to rally opposition to the tax holiday. “What we really need is a tax holiday on gun safes and trigger locks, so that people who have guns can store them appropriately,” Swerdlow sarcastically told wptv.com. One opponent in the state House of Representatives was state Rep. Anna V. Eskamani, who showed her complete lack of understanding of the difference between lawful gun owners and violent criminals. “I think when we make decisions on tax breaks, it’s also a values-based statement,” Rep. Eskamani said. “And it’s very hard for me to want to incentivize more ammunition and more firearms in this state when we already have so much.” Republicans, however, overwhelmingly supported that tax holiday. “We’ve done these holidays before,” said State Sen. Jim Boyd. “It’s an outdoor kind of thing where you fish and you hunt, and that’s what Florida is all about.” Ultimately, the legislature passed the budget bill, and DeSantis signed it, keeping his promise to Florida gun owners. And thanks to the new law, those lawful gun owners will save millions of dollars in taxes this fall.
By Gregory Kielma July 16, 2025
Why is concealed carry allowed given I have a right to know who around me has a gun? Gregg Kielma There is no body of law that says you have any such right, so the premise is false. Until after the Civil War, most places discouraged concealed carry, but encouraged open carry, under that general principle (but, importantly, they did not specify that the public had a ‘right to know’, only that, culturally, people who concealed were assumed to have done so for nefarious purposes). With the rise of gun control laws originating in the South, carry of any kind became illegal, and so, of course, open carry disappeared, and that mindset has generally prevailed until today. Most gun-rights advocates don’t encourage letting criminals know that you are armed, preferring to let it be a tactical advantage if a bad situation develops.
By Gregory Kielma July 16, 2025
If someone is pointing his gun at you while robbing your house and you are carrying a gun what would you do? Would you go for the kill or just injure him and disarm him? My Plan: What's Yours? Neither. I’m looking to neutralize the threat to me and my family. Nothing more nothing less. I don’t want to kill or injure anybody. What I will do is attempt to make it where they can no longer have the dominance and ability to choose if I live or die for myself or family. I’m defending us. If in the attempt to defend myself, they die? Sorry, but you took that risk when you put my life in your hands unwillingly. I’m willing to use deadly force to save my life. That's my plan. If all I do is injure, then obviously the threat wasn’t great enough to justify deadly force. I won’t injure to disarm. I’m not here for the kill either. I’m merely ending the threat to my existence in the quickest and most efficient possible way.
By Gregory Kielma July 14, 2025
What risks do concealed carry permit holders face if they decide to act during an active shooter event? What Would You Do? Kielma says, my plan and exactly my thoughts and how I will proceed and deal with this. Here are a few; • Being mistaken for being a part of the active shooter assault • Getting killed by the First Responders because they think that you’re an accomplice • Getting killed by an actual accomplice because they don’t want you to be the hero who stops their murderous rampage Kielma’s PLAN, In the end, if I am carrying concealed, and some nut-job starts shooting innocent people, I will draw and I will take him out. Positive actions, performed quickly, will save lives. Once the perpetrator is down and or dead, I will put my pistol back into concealment, and check on the victims. I will render first aid until the First Responders arrive. I would continue to scan the scene to make sure there isn’t a second bad guy. When the cops arrive, I will render a full report, and let them know what happened, and when.
By Gregory Kielma July 14, 2025
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By Gregory Kielma July 14, 2025
A gun confiscation finally goes into effect and police are going door-to-door. Your home is next.... Let's see what Robert Andrews plan is. What would you do? Ensure that the Coffee cans and pipe full of nails, glass, some fecal matter to cause massive infections and smokeless powder are all in place and wired up so that when the Unconstitutional Gestapo stack their teams beside any possible entry point, they get their legs blown off. Then as the survivors look for cover, their cover will turn into an ambush before their very eyes. Explosive charges to be command detonated placed months or years before where they will seek cover and where they will park vehicles. Once they bring in a Chopper, Charges will be launched simultaneously with cable between each to foul rotors. They can reach an estimated height of 1500 to 2000 ft. Meanwhile, I will be inside, in a below grade Reinforced concrete room, with switches and detonators for all in place explosives. I have 48 hours of supplied air, Plus Filtration that will easily handle CS Gas, 90 days of water, and enough MRE’s to last years, and the required tobacco sauce as well. Will I survive through a scenario such as Robert proposes, probably not. But I am 1 Man, and I can easily cost the gun grabbers 25–50 men and possibly much more. And I am only 1 man, and every home within 15 miles of my home, is owned and lived in by my kin. So, the question is How many gun grabbers are willing to die to come collect my weapons? Because I know that I am willing to take as many as possible with me when I go.
By Gregory Kielma July 12, 2025
Vicki Lynn Frantz...A true "Bagger" What A Mutt! Fulton County (Ga.) Sheriff's Office Corrections employee, caught with pants down in office with inmate, says she's the victim in shocking prison scandal... Sure A corrections employee allegedly was about to have sex with an inmate when a security guard busted her — but she claims her life was threatened. A former corrections employee in Georgia is accused of attempting to have sexual relations with an inmate and selling cigarettes to another prisoner, according to authorities. Vickie Lynn Frantz, 56, also known as hot lips and hot pants... was terminated from her job as a purchasing assistant at the Atlanta Transitional Center — a correctional facility — on Monday. 'My client is the victim of the whole situation, and yet she is falsely accused of those charges.' The U.S. Marshals Service arrested Frantz, and she was booked into the Fulton County Jail on Monday. Frantz was hit with felony charges of criminal intent to commit a felony and trading with inmates without the consent of the warden or superintendent, according to jail records. A judge set her bond at $30,000. WSB reported that an investigation was launched after a security guard reported witnessing Frantz welcome an inmate into her office. Frantz — of Rome, Georgia — was about to have sex with an inmate in her office, police said. The affidavit of arrest that Blaze News obtained from the Georgia Department of Corrections states that the witness saw the inmate enter Frantz's office around 1:30 p.m. on June 30. "Accused Vickie Frantz committed criminal attempt to commit custodial sexual assault by allowing an inmate of the Georgia Department of Corrections into her office, then taking off her pants to allow sexual activity," the affidavit stated. The affidavit added, "But a security staff member intervened before any sexual acts occurred. Vickie Frantz was caught in her office lying on an inmate bed mat with no pants on and an inmate standing over her." Go Vickie, oink oink!!!! Let's see what the courts say. Innocent, who knows. Frantz also is accused of selling cigarettes to another inmate. "Vickie Frantz unlawfully accepted a payment of $50 via Chime to bring five packs of cigarettes into Atlanta Transitional Center," the affidavit stated. Despite the former corrections employee being in a position of power over inmates, Frantz's public defender said his client was the "victim." "She was under duress, and she was threatened with her life actually to comply with the demand by the complaining witness," assistant public defender Jae Kim told WSB. "My client is the victim of the whole situation, and yet she is falsely accused of those charges." Heath told WSB, "As we continue to demonstrate, we maintain a zero-tolerance policy for individuals who choose to ignore their oath and jeopardize our non-negotiable mission of public safety. The actions of this individual do not reflect the hundreds of officers who are committed each and every day to ensuring the safety of the public and the safe operations of our facilities." Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
By Gregory Kielma July 12, 2025
How to Safely Walk Your Dog or Favorite Pet While Armed by Gregg Kielma and Lee Williams Says FFL, Firearms, First Aid Fundamentals Instructor Gregg Kielma. I get asked this question all the time in my firearms classes. I live in Florida with a lot of ponds with alligators and wild pigs in or around them. Alligators like small dogs, like my seven (7) rescues. So, what do I do? I stay situationally aware all the time. I chose a routes away from any bad areas near ponds or wooded areas. If you have access to a fenced in dog park, that may be a better option. This For Florida Residents in Particular: Or any place you may encounter wild animals that can hurt you or your pet. I walk them during the day when I can see the ponds or wooded areas we are coming up to. I keep them close to me or most likely pick them up. We have sidewalks that run right next to big ponds alligators like to hang out in. (yes live in the country). I have wild pigs that do tremendous damage to property and if not careful to people and dogs. I'm always checking my surrounding for alligators, wild pigs or a bad actor hiding in the tree line that may try to hurt me or my wife. I keep my firearm easily accessible. I practice and can access my firearm in less than .003 seconds. I practice all the time. (Note: Alligators are very fast for short distances, you need to keep your "antenna's" up and always be ready. Wild pigs are very aggressive when there are little piglets around and will attack to save the piglets. They can hurt you or your pet just like an alligator). Dive to a safe area in your neighborhood, park your car and say away from ponds or heavily wooded areas. February through mid to end of April alligators are active. Its mating season and they become aggressive. Have a plan. What are you going to do to stop the threat? Don't wait until the last minute by then it's too late. Stay smart, situationally aware and ready for anything. Check out what Lees has to say and her recommendations. Take it away Lee! I get to walk Willa, our Boston Terrier, seven to eight times per day. I’m not sure who enjoys it more. Her timing is always perfect. After I’ve been writing for more than a few hours, she will jump into my lap or bite my ankles to let me know it’s time to take a break. Living in southwest Florida, the weather is our biggest non-tactical concern. We always avoid the hottest part of the day. I also carry a bottle of water and offer her sips while watching out for excessive panting. Boston Terriers are one of the Brachycephalic breeds, so she is more susceptible to heatstroke than other dogs. It’s crucial to adjust the intensity of our walk, and Willa is never shy about offering input. As to our tactical concerns, some suggestions follow: One of the most important considerations while walking your dog is that you will likely have just one free hand if you’re threatened. If you need to use deadly force, you will be shooting and possibly even reloading using only your strong hand. Practice is key, it’s crucial. Every time I’m at the range, I always shoot two or three magazines using only my strong hand. My weak hand is kept at my side, as if I’m holding her leash. Speed and accuracy are not the same as when I’ve got two free hands, which is why it’s so important to train. One-handed magazine changes are also much slower. I hold my empty weapon between my legs, pull a spare mag off of my weak side with my strong hand, and insert it into the weapon. I have practiced this with Willa dry but have yet to add gunfire to our training. Accuracy is worse than when using two hands, as is speed. Besides, I will likely have a 30-pound dog jumping and going crazy in my weak hand, so you can understand that my maximum effective range will shrink. Generally, the types of threats you may encounter on a dog walk are about the same as if you were walking alone, but there is the added possibility that someone may try to harm or steal your dog. Nowadays, some canines can cost thousands of dollars. Most likely, the bad guy will use some type of weapon. I have never heard of anyone who was victimized while walking their dog and forced to respond with force, being asked why they didn’t let their dog bite the bad guy. Most civilians don’t own attack-trained Malinois. Anyone who says anything different has likely never been in a gunfight. Some additional suggestions: • Always hold your dog’s leash with your weak hand. Keep your shooting hand ready. • I strongly recommend carrying a can of pepper spray for aggressive canines. It works incredibly well and is not permanent. Make sure it is police strength. • Practice drawing and obtaining a sight picture while holding your dog’s leash in your weak hand. • It’s easy to lose your situational awareness while picking up poo. Do it quickly while maintaining your SA. • Watch for additional threats, especially while retrieving poo. • Don’t focus solely on your dog while walking. Don’t zone out. • Don’t allow anyone you don’t know to pet your dog. Tell them your dog is not friendly and may bite. • Change your walking routes often. Do not have a standard route. • Look for threats while walking. Your dog can help with this. • Be concerned about your safety and security, and your dog’s. • Carry spare ammunition – it’s a must. I always carry the same guns and gear. The Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project wouldn’t be possible without you. Click here to make a tax-deductible donation to support pro-gun stories like this.
By Gregory Kielma July 12, 2025
Indiana Mom Shoots Child Predator to Save Her 12-Year-Old Daughter Mark Chesnut Most people are aware that the maternal instinct in women is so strong that many will do whatever it takes to protect their children from harm. Unfortunately for a convicted child molester in Indiana, he had to learn that lesson the hard way. According to reports at wlfa.com and wthr.com, the man, Bruce Pierce, tried to rape a 12-year-old girl at an Indianapolis hotel in late May. But before he could rip more than her tank top and underwear, the girl’s mother shot Pierce several times, sending him to the hospital with multiple bullet wounds and a sure lesson learned. Details are a little sketchy as to why the mother left her 12-year-old daughter in a hotel room with a convicted child sex offender. According to one report, the child’s grandmother told police the victim and her sister woke her up on May 24 when their mother didn’t come home. They went to the Baymont Inn to look for her and found the mother with Pierce in the hotel lobby. The 12-year-old girl, who was feeling sick, stayed in Pierce’s hotel room while the mother and the other daughter took items to the car. While they were loading the car, the girl said Pierce invited her to sit on the bed. At that time, court documents say she told police Pierce grabbed her arms, pinned them to the bed, and began ripping her clothes off. The victim was able to escape her attacker when her mother opened fire. According to reports, Pierce had a gun on or near him during the assault. Unlike the mother, he apparently wasn’t able to get off any shots during the melee. Court records show Pierce pleaded guilty to child molesting in two separate cases, in Hendricks and Morgan counties, in 2016. Pierce is charged with attempted rape, attempted child molestation, unlawful possession of a firearm and confinement, all felonies in the state Indiana. While anti-gun activists will tell you that normal Americans almost never use firearms to save themselves and their families from violent criminals, this incident reminds us once again that episodes of armed self-defense occur multiple times daily throughout the United States. While the gun-ban group Moms Demand Action works tirelessly to take away gun owners’ rights, this mom in Indiana went into action when her daughter faced imminent harm at the hands of a very bad guy.
By Gregory Kielma July 12, 2025
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime Monday, July 7, 2025 U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of West Virginia HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Douglas Lee Brown, also known as “Wiggles,” 56, of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 18, 2024, law enforcement officers arrested Brown on domestic battery and wanton endangerment warrants in Huntington and found he possessed a loaded Taurus model G2C 9mm pistol in his waistband. Officers determined the firearm was reported stolen. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Brown knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for burglary in Franklin County, Ohio, Common Pleas Court on November 15, 2012. Brown has a long criminal history and was on a term of supervision as a result of the burglary conviction at the time of the current offense. Brown is scheduled to be sentenced on October 20, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-168.
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