ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Alexander M.M. Uballez, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico; Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the El Paso Division of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), announced today that Isaiah Rojas appeared in federal court on a 7-count indictment charging him with three counts of firearms trafficking, straw purchasing firearms, possession a firearm not registered with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, unlawful possession and transfer of a machine gun and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Rojas, 27, of Hernandez, will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to the indictment, on May 16, Rojas purchased and provided firearms to another person with the belief that the recipient intended to use the firearms in furtherance of a felony or drug trafficking crime. Later, on June 3, Rojas provided rifles with a barrel length less than 16 inches and an overall length of less than 26 inches that were not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record to another individual. Lastly, on Sept. 6, Rojas provided machineguns with obliterated serial numbers to another individual.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Rojas faces up to 25 years in prison.
ATF and HSI jointly investigated the case. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the U.S. by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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