Former NM mayor admits to gun smuggling

[harvey007]

Source: KRQE

COLUMBUS, N.M. (KRQE) - The former mayor of a New Mexico border town pleaded guilty to gun smuggling charges four months after he was arrested in a federal sting.

On Tuesday, Eddie Espinoza, 51, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, three counts of making false statements, and three counts of smuggling firearms from the United States.

Read more: http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/crime/Former-NM-mayor-admits-to-gun-smuggling

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Background:

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/programs/project-gunrunner/

[derby378]

1. Oh, HELL, no

The ATF scandal was bad enough without the local fuzz getting involved.

[MyrnaLoy]

3. you do realize

that without the federal investigation this guy might not have been caught right? The BATFE is working hard to shut these guys down.

[Lurks Often]

5. Yes, because they'd rather

smuggle the guns over the border themselves.

[MyrnaLoy]

8. So you now claim

The BATFE are driving the guns across the border?

[Lurks Often]

9. Claim? Since the acting ATF Director himself has testified to

this in front of Congress, it is hardly a claim.

http://oversight.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13


I'm familiar with your posts in the Gun Forum and your views on firearms.

[MyrnaLoy]

10. let me get this straight

the BATFE now actually drive the trucks across the border? That's your claim?

[Lurks Often]

11. A rather poor attempt at trying

to divert attention from ATF's Fast & Furious program in which they allowed and encouraged gun stores to sell weapons to straw buyers who would then transport the guns into Mexico. Not sure how ATF planned on tracking those guns since they have no legal authority in Mexico and the Mexican authorities do not appear to have been informed about the program.

[WatsonT]

7. Cartels are working hard to shut down other cartels as well

but I don't entirely trust them to self-police.

[Corruption Winz]

2. At least he admits he had something to do with it....

Hopefully, people weren't using said fire-arms to kill innocent people in an already-disenfranchised nation.....

[Abq_Sarah]

4. When it's a small town mayor

It's bad (I agree). When it's the BATF, suddenly it's at worst neutral and in their view, beneficial.

[WatsonT]

6. Interesting how the words "gun" and "show" did not appear anywhere in that article together

And yet all violence on the border can be blamed on this elusive gun show loophole that never seems to materialize in the real world.