Houston Field Division — 2009 Releases
Montgomery, TX Man Sentenced For Federal Gun Violation
November 9, 2009
U.S. Attorney John M. Bales announced today that a 41-year-old Montgomery, Texas man has been sentenced for firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas. More »
Luling Man Sentenced To Federal Prison For Selling Firearms Without A License
October 16, 2009
John E. Murphy, Acting United States Attorney, announced that in Austin this morning 58-year-old Alfred Dwight Watkins of Luling, Texas, was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison for dealing firearms without a license. More »
Local Drug Dealer Sentenced To 188 Months
July 23, 2009
A Corpus Christi area crack cocaine dealer with be serving more than 15 years in federal prison without parole, United States Attorney Tim Johnson announced today. More »
Five Charged In Area “Smash And Grab” Gun Shop Burglary
July 23, 2009
Five Corpus Christi men have been indicted for various federal weapons charges arising from recent “smash and grab” burglary of a local gun store, United States Attorney Tim Johnson and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Dewey Webb announced today. More »
Port Arthur Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Federal Firearms Charges
June 9, 2009
U.S. Attorney John M. Bales announced today that a 52-year-old Port Arthur man has been sentenced for federal firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas. More »
ATF National Response Team Activated to Investigate Gallery Furniture Fire in Houston
May 23, 2009
The National Response Team (NRT) of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) along with ATF special agents from the Houston Field Division have been activated by a request from the Houston Fire Department Arson Bureau to investigate a fire at Gallery Furniture. More »
Texas Attorney General Abbott, Senator Carona, Representative Corte Mark Legislature’s Passage of Firearms Smuggling Law
May 21, 2009
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, state Sen. John Carona and Rep. Frank Corte today marked the passage of a new state law that prohibits firearms smuggling. Prior to the passage of Senate Bill 2225, illegal firearms trafficking was not a state crime. More »
Members of Firearms Trafficking Ring Indicted
May 19, 2009
An 11-count superseding indictment charging 10 defendants with conspiracy to make false material statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms was unsealed today following the arrest and appearance of eight of the 10 defendants charged, acting United States Attorney Tim Johnson and Special Agent in Charge Dewey Webb of the Houston office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced today. Warrants remain outstanding for two fugitives. More »
Nuevo Laredo Men’s Club Manager Sentenced for Attempting to Smuggle Ammunition Into Mexico
April 29, 2009
U.S. District Judge Michaela Alvarez has sentenced Raul Alvarez, the business manager of a men’s club in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, to 51 months in federal prison without parole for attempting to smuggle ammunition from the United States into Mexico, acting United States Attorney Tim Johnson announced today. More »
San Antonio Man Sentenced for Three “Truck Jacking” Incidents
April 23, 2009
John E. Murphy, Acting United States Attorney, announced that yesterday evening, in San Antonio, 42-year-old Travis Lee Houston was sentenced to 52 years confinement in federal prison for taking three motor vehicles by force on November 9, 2007. More »
Houstonian Sentenced to Prison for Lying to Buy Guns
April 17, 2009
John Phillip Hernandez, 25, of Houston, has been sentenced to prison for making false material statements to a federal firearms licensee in connection with the purchase of firearms which were eventually found at crime scenes in Mexico and Guatemala, acting United States Attorney Tim Johnson and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Dewey Webb announced today. More »
ATF Requests Information on TV Station Fire
April 7, 2009
The Beaumont Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is requesting the public’s assistance in developing leads and determining the identity of two witnesses seen near the KBTV Channel 4 building fire on Feb. 2 in Port Arthur. The fire, located at 2900 17th Street, was reported at 2:22 p.m., and is still under investigation; however it has been determined to be an incendiary fire. More »
Federal Jury Convicts San Antonio Man in Firearms Smuggling Case
April 2, 2009
United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that in San Antonio this afternoon, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict against 42-year-old Uriel Hernandez for conspiracy to engage in a firearms business without a license and for smuggling firearms into Mexico. More »
Former Firearms Licensee Ordered to Prison
April 1, 2009
Eddy V. Pleasant, 52, of Sheridan, Texas, a former firearms dealer, has been ordered to surrender to a federal correctional institute to begin serving a prison sentence for making false statements during the purchase of firearms, acting United States Attorney Tim Johnson announced today. United States District Judge John D. Rainey entered the order on March 31, 2009. More »
Firearms Trafficker Sentenced
March 27, 2009
Juan Pablo Gutierrez, 25, of Houston, has been sentenced after pleading guilty before U.S. District Judge Gray Miller to eight counts involving the offense of making a false material statement to a federal firearms licensee in connection with the purchase of a firearm, acting United States Attorney Tim Johnson announced today. More »
13 Sentenced for Roles in Purchasing Firearms
March 25, 2009
Thirteen Brownsville residents have been sentenced for purchasing or recruiting others to purchase firearms by making false statements, acting United States Attorney Tim Johnson announced today. U.S. District Judge Hilda G. Tagle handed down the sentences yesterday evening. More »
Brownsville Man Sentenced for His Role in Purchasing Firearms
March 9, 2009
Jose Angel Perez, 30, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for making false statements in relation to purchasing firearms, acting United States Attorney Tim Johnson announced today. More »
Brownsville Man Sentenced for His Role in Purchasing Firearms
February 12, 2009
United States Attorney Matt M. Dummermuth announced today a gang member who fired multiple rounds into an occupied home in Sioux City, Iowa, on May 1, 2007, was sentenced today to more than 12 years in federal prison. More »
ATF National Response Team Activated to Investigate Spa Manufacturer Fire in Houston
January 25, 2009
The National Response Team (NRT) of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) along with ATF special agents from the Houston Field Division have been activated by a request from the Fort Bend County Fire Marshal’s Office to investigate a fire at Sunbelt Spas. More »
Fire at Fort Ringgold School Intentionally Set
January 21, 2009
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Houston Field Division Special Agent in Charge Dewey Webb and Deputy State Fire Marshal Raymond Garcia announced today the completion of the on-scene investigation of the January 13, 2009 fire that severely damaged a large section of the Fort Ringgold Middle School in Rio Grande City. More »
ATF National Response Team Activated to Investigate School Fire in Rio Grande City, Texas
January 15, 2009
The National Response Team (NRT) of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) along with ATF special agents from the Houston Field Division and McAllen Field Office have been activated by a request from the Rio Grande City Fire Department to investigate a fire at Fort Ringold Elementary School. More »