Felons Receive Maximum Sentence for Illegal Possession of Machine Gun

LAREDO, TX—Jose Eduardo Munoz, 28, and Alfredo Israel Zendejo Jr., 22, both Laredo residents and convicted felons, have each been sentenced to serve 10 years in federal prison for illegal possession of a machine gun, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.

Munoz pleaded guilty on November 17, 2011, while Zendejo pleaded guilty on December 17, 2011. At their respective plea hearings, both admitted that on or about July 13, 2011, they delivered and sold a fully automatic Cobry M‐11, 9mm submachine gun to undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) agents for $1,000 and a silencer for an additional $200. The payment was made in cash at the time Munoz and Zendejo handed agents the machine gun and silencer.

Zendejo also negotiated delivering four hand grenades for sale to the undercover agents, which were to be delivered by Munoz. Munoz, however, was in an automobile accident on the way to meet Zendejo and the undercover agent to purportedly deliver the four grenades.

United States District Judge Alia Moses presided over the sentencing hearing and handed down the 120-month term, the maximum sentence allowed by law. Following completion of their sentences, each will serve a term of supervised release of three years. Both defendants were also fined $2,000.

The investigation leading to the charges in this case was conducted by the ATF, the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations, and the Laredo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Homero Ramirez prosecuted the case.