Operation Fast And Furious Ringleader Sentenced
TUCSON, Ariz. -- The man who illegally purchased two weapons found at the scene of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry's murder was sentenced in Phoenix on Wednesday morning. Jaime Avila Jr. will serve nearly five years in prison for buying weapons.
According to an earlier plea agreement, he had received about $55,000 for running weapons to Mexico, specifically for the Sinaloa Cartel. He illegally purchased 52 rifles, including semiautomatic and 50 caliber rifles.
Avila was at the heart of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives gunwalking scandal known as Operation Fast and Furious. ATF agents in Phoenix had identified him as a cartel gunbuyer in November 2009. In January 2010, he bought three AK-47 variants. ATF learned of the illegal gun buy three days later, according to the findings in the report issued by the Office of Inspector General. They made no effort to arrest Avila or intercept the weapons.
Two of those rifles were found at Agent Terry's murder scene near Nogales on Dec. 14, 2010. An FBI ballistics test was never able to conclude that one of those guns was used to shoot Terry. Avila was arrested the very next day, Dec. 15.
But the details of the gunwalking scandal were not applicable to Avila's sentencing. Under federal law, Avila cannot be charged with Terry's murder.
