Two South Texas men sentenced for trying to sell machine guns to Mexican users

SAN ANTONIO (Texas News Radio) — Two South Texas men will be going to prison for selling machine guns bound for Mexico.

Homeland Security Investigations said 44-year-old Martin Guerra of Palmview and 46-year-old Saul De La Garza of Sullivan City pleaded guilty to transferring machine guns in November 2019.

Guerra was sentenced Thursday to 50 months in federal prison and De La Garza — who is a previously convicted felon — was sentenced to 78 months in prison.

The government said both men tried to coordinate the sale of three machine guns — two Glock auto-switches and an AR-style rifle — to undercover authorities.  They believed the guns would end up in Mexico.

“Through the course of the investigation, Guerra bragged that he would be able to provide as many weapons as desired,” the government stated. “De La Garza claimed he would be able to transport firearms from Houston to the Rio Grande Valley and coordinated with Guerra to make the sale of the machine guns.”

Guerra remains in custody.  De La Garza was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender at a later date.