(Deming) – Records show a gun smuggling operation run by
former town officials in Columbus had a direct link to targets of the bungled "Fast and Furious" operation run by federal officials in Arizona.
Federal prosecutors have sought to distance the Columbus gun smuggling case from the Arizona probe.
But reports obtained by the Albuquerque Journal show federal agents were aware in early 2010 that the leader of the Columbus ring had been stopped a few months earlier with weapons purchased by a suspect involved in the Fast and Furious case.
That connection apparently dried up and ringleader and town trustee Blas "Woody" Gutierrez began buying guns himself and paying others to buy guns for him from a New Mexico dealer. He has pleaded guilty to gun smuggling but hasn't been sentenced.
Prosecutors have said the Columbus gun smuggling ring shipped nearly 200 guns to Mexican drug
cartels.
As of mid-October, eight of 12 convicted defendants in the case had been sentenced.
Still awaiting sentencing were Gutierrez, former Columbus Police Chief Angelo Vega, Ricardo Gutierrez and Eva Gutierrez.
former town officials in Columbus had a direct link to targets of the bungled "Fast and Furious" operation run by federal officials in Arizona.
Federal prosecutors have sought to distance the Columbus gun smuggling case from the Arizona probe.
But reports obtained by the Albuquerque Journal show federal agents were aware in early 2010 that the leader of the Columbus ring had been stopped a few months earlier with weapons purchased by a suspect involved in the Fast and Furious case.
That connection apparently dried up and ringleader and town trustee Blas "Woody" Gutierrez began buying guns himself and paying others to buy guns for him from a New Mexico dealer. He has pleaded guilty to gun smuggling but hasn't been sentenced.
Prosecutors have said the Columbus gun smuggling ring shipped nearly 200 guns to Mexican drug
cartels.
As of mid-October, eight of 12 convicted defendants in the case had been sentenced.
Still awaiting sentencing were Gutierrez, former Columbus Police Chief Angelo Vega, Ricardo Gutierrez and Eva Gutierrez.
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