Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years for Trafficking Over 150 Guns from Georgia to Mexico

Edson Aregullin, 47, a Mexican national formerly residing in Atlanta, has been sentenced to 71 months in federal prison for his role in a firearms trafficking scheme that moved more than 150 guns from Georgia to Mexico.

“Illegal firearms trafficking wreaks havoc in communities within and outside our district,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We are proud to stand alongside our federal law enforcement partners in helping to stem the unlawful flow of firearms to criminals.”

“Every illegal firearm that crosses our border becomes a weapon of destruction in the wrong hands,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “ATF is committed to shutting down these criminal pipelines with precision and force. Our communities – here and abroad – deserve nothing less.”

On May 22, 2025, U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg handed down the sentence, which also includes three years of supervised release. Aregullin had pleaded guilty on November 19, 2024, to Conspiracy to Traffic in Firearms, three counts of Trafficking in Firearms, and three counts of False Statements to a Federal Firearms Licensee.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Aregullin conspired with contacts in Mexico who provided funds and specific instructions for the purchase of firearms, including 9mm pistols and AR-style rifles. Aregullin then facilitated the illegal transport of those weapons across the border.

One of the firearms, a .223 caliber rifle purchased by Aregullin on April 21, 2022, was later recovered by authorities in Guanajuato, Mexico, after a deadly shootout between municipal police and armed combatants that left eight people dead and four injured.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Gabay-Smith.