After confessing to operating a guns trafficking conspiracy, a licensed Florida gun dealer and two accomplices could be imprisoned for up to 15 years.#Orlando, Florida, #News, #Crime
ORLANDO, FLA A licensed gun dealer and two accomplices have entered guilty pleas in connection with a federal investigation into a Florida weapons trafficking enterprise that involved moving over 100 firearms and prohibited devices out of the nation.
Dealer and Co-Conspirators Plead Guilty
Federally licensed guns dealer Matthew L. Stephen Easton, 35, faces up to 15 years in prison after confessing to firearm trafficking. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida has set January 24 as the day of his sentence.
Ernesto Vasquez, 23, and Derick Yamir Perez Diaz, 22, Easton’s co-defendants, also entered guilty pleas to conspiracy to traffic weapons. Vasquez and Perez Diaz could each spend up to 15 years in federal prison.
Trafficking Operation Details
Despite being aware that Perez Diaz was unlawfully distributing firearms without a license, Easton provided him with a large number of handguns, according to court records and plea deals. Vasquez subsequently purchased the weapons from Perez Diaz and smuggled them out of the nation to resell.
The group trafficked more than 100 Glock handguns and AK-47 rifles between October and December 2023. To make their offenses even more heinous, Vasquez and Perez Diaz also acknowledged selling unlawful machine gun conversion devices.
ATF Search Uncovers Stockpile of Weapons
ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) investigators carried out a search warrant at Vasquez’s home on April 18, 2024. Large amounts of ammo, grenades, and weapons were found during the search.
Vasquez’s sentencing is slated for April 8, while Perez Diaz’s is scheduled for March 25.
As part of the Department of Justice’s continuous efforts to stop illegal guns trafficking and stop the unlawful distribution of weapons both domestically and abroad, the case was prosecuted.
CONNECTED TOPICS: Florida Crime
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