Edson Aregullin has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison for illegally purchasing firearms intended for transport from Georgia to Mexico.
“Illegal firearms trafficking wreaks havoc in communities within and outside our district,” stated 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.”
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives emphasized the commitment to halting these illegal activities: “Every illegal firearm that crosses our border becomes a weapon of destruction in the wrong hands. ATF is committed to shutting down these criminal pipelines with precision and force. Our communities – here and abroad – deserve nothing less.”
Court documents reveal that Aregullin conspired with individuals in Mexico to purchase over 150 firearms from dealers in Northern Georgia, including 9mm pistols and AR-style rifles. He received detailed instructions from his contacts regarding the types of firearms needed, used funds provided by a buyer in Mexico, and facilitated their transportation across the border.
The weapons purchased by Aregullin were linked to violent crimes. Notably, a .223 caliber rifle he acquired was later recovered by law enforcement officers after a deadly incident involving municipal police and armed combatants in Guanajuato, Mexico.
On May 22, 2025, United States District Judge Steven D. Grimberg sentenced Aregullin, a Mexican national previously residing in Atlanta, Georgia, to 71 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. Aregullin had pled guilty on November 19, 2024, to charges including Conspiracy to Traffic in Firearms and making False Statements.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Gabay-Smith.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims at reducing violent crime through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and community organizations. The Department launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy under PSN on May 26, 2021.
For more information contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. Visit http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga for further details about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
