AUSTIN (KXAN) — A Texas man was sentenced Wednesday related to aggravated identity theft and a plot to smuggle firearms out of Texas into Mexico, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The DOJ said 32-year-old Leonardo Barroso, of Brownsville, received a prison sentence of 111 months, which totals more than nine years, in connection with the charges.
“At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Barroso worked as a door-to-door electricity salesman who used his customers’ personal information to purchase firearms in San Antonio and Corpus Christi. Barroso purchased over 20 firearms to be smuggled into Mexico and intentionally delivered to cartel members,” the DOJ said.
Federal officials said Barroso also admitted he was transporting other firearms out of the United States and recruited Mexican nationals to purchase numerous firearms from dealers in Texas to be smuggled into Mexico.