Illegal Immigrant in Texas Gets 5 Years for Buying Ammo for Cartel: What You Need to Know

A 20-year-old man from Mexico, Charbel Garza Macias, was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison for illegally purchasing nearly 5,000 rounds of ammunition to supply a Mexican drug cartel. Macias, who was living in the United States illegally, was arrested after law enforcement caught him buying large quantities of high-caliber ammunition in Laredo, Texas.

Macias pleaded guilty to the charges in October 2024. He had been hired by the Cartel Del Noreste (CDN), a dangerous criminal organization operating in Mexico, to buy 20,000 rounds of ammunition. Authorities discovered Macias on July 16, 2024, after he made a suspicious purchase of about 4,800 rounds. When officers stopped him and searched his vehicle, they found the ammunition stored inside.

Macias admitted he was working for the CDN, and he was attempting to bring the ammunition to Mexico, where the cartel uses these supplies for violent operations. His arrest is part of a larger initiative called Operation Take Back America, which targets illegal immigration and cartel activity.

The operation aims to dismantle criminal organizations by cutting off their supplies of weapons and ammunition, which are critical to their operations. In Macias’ case, the ammunition was intended to fuel the CDN’s violent activities across the U.S.-Mexico border.

Macias’ case highlights the ongoing challenge of ammunition smuggling into Mexico and the efforts U.S. authorities are making to combat it. His sentence serves as a reminder that law enforcement is cracking down on individuals who attempt to supply dangerous criminal organizations with the tools they need to continue their illegal operations.

Macias’ sentence is not just a win for law enforcement but part of a broader effort to protect U.S. communities from the violence tied to drug cartels. It also sends a strong message to others involved in similar activities that they will face severe consequences.

This conviction is one of many in a series of efforts by U.S. officials to disrupt cartel activities. In related cases, people like Jesus Alberto Olivares have also been sentenced to prison for similar crimes, showing the determination of authorities to target and dismantle cartels’ supply chains.

This case serves as a critical example of how authorities are working to prevent dangerous criminal organizations from operating freely. It’s clear that the fight against cartel activity continues in the U.S., with law enforcement taking strong steps to protect the public from the threat of violent criminal operations.