NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

MATT J. WHITWORTH

Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106

www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/index.html

OCTOBER 28, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KANSAS MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO ILLEGALLY

POSSESSING FIREARMS

ILLEGAL ALIEN ADMITS TO BUYING, SELLING GUNS

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Matt J. Whitworth, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Guatamalan national pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing firearms that he purchased at a local gun show and intended to sell to an intermediary who would deliver them to Mexico.

Mynor Guerra, 25, a citizen of Guatamala who was residing in Overland Park, Kan., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner this morning to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, the government and the defendant agree to request of the court a sentence of four years and nine months in federal prison without parole.

Guerra admitted that, for the past six months, he had been buying firearms at gun shows and selling them for extra money to an intermediary, who delivered the guns to Mexico.

Guerra was arrested on July 25, 2009, after being observed by ATF agents who were conducting surveillance of a gun show at the Expo Center at Kansas City International Airport in Kansas City, Mo. ATF agents saw Guerra carrying an AR-15 rifle, walking in a circuitous route through a parking lot to his vehicle. He looked over his shoulder several times then placed the weapon in the trunk of a Toyota Camry. Guerra walked back into the show, approached a display table, pulled out a large sum of cash, and proceeded to purchase a second AR-15 rifle without filling out any paperwork. Guerra immediately exited the building and began walking away, again taking a circuitous route to his vehicle. Eventually, he made his way to the Camry and put the rifle in the trunk.

Police officers stopped Guerra’s vehicle a short time after he departed from the gun show. He presented a fraudulent Missouri driver’s license as well as a false Social Security number. After about ten minutes of false stories, Guerra admitted his identity and that he was an illegal alien from Guatemala. He was arrested for being an illegal alien in possession of firearms, specifically two AR-15 style rifles. The rifles were recovered from the trunk along with gun show calendars listing shows in several different states. Also recovered were two clips, one designed to hold 15 rounds of ammunition, and a second designed to hold 30 rounds.

Police officers interviewed Guerra’s girlfriend at their apartment, who told them that Guerra goes to gun shows, and that he buys and sells guns. Six magazines and nine handgun holders and cases were discovered in the residence along with various gun cleaning supplies and firearms manuals. Five gun show calendars were also discovered as well as a Western Union receipt in the amount of $4,000 to and three Social Security cards in another person’s name.

Under federal statutes, Guerra is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel M. Nelson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip M. Koppe. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

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