Gun smuggler linked to Zapata murder sentenced

Century Arms WASR-10 rifle

The man who oversaw the purchase and smuggling of the semi-automatic rifle that killed ICE HSI agent Jaime Zapata a year ago was sentenced to almost 10 years in prison on Jan. 30 in Houston, TX, on gun and drug smuggling charges.

Manuel Barba, 30, from Baytown, in southeast Texas, was sentenced in a federal court to more than eight years for exporting firearms, in addition to nine years for drug smuggling. The sentences will run concurrently, said ICE.

One of the guns Barba was convicted of trafficking was used to murder Zapata in Feb. 2011. Julian Espinoza, a member of the ultra-violent Zetas cartel and also known as “Piolin,” was extradited from Mexico to the U.S. in December to face charges for his alleged participation in Zapata’s murder and the attempted murder of Special Agent Victor Avila on Feb. 15, 2011. The agents were attacked in Mexico along a highway in the state of San Luis Potosi, in a blatant, brutal assault that sparked a furious search for the shooters.

Barba had pleaded guilty to one count of exporting firearms on Oct. 31, 2011. On Jan. 30, he was sentenced to 100 months imprisonment which is to run consecutively with a 108-month sentence he received for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine in a case prosecuted by the Eastern District of Texas, said a Jan. 30 by ICE.

Barba could not legally buy firearms because of two felony drug offenses, said ICE, so he sought out others to buy for him. He recruited straw buyers to purchase numerous AK-47-type semi-automatic firearms, including Century Arms WASR-10 semi-automatic rifles, said court documents. He told those buyers the firearms couldn’t be traced back to them since the serial numbers would be obliterated before sending them to Mexico. Once the straw buyers bought the firearms and transferred them to him, Barba facilitated the transfer of the weapons to individuals who transported them to Mexico for use by the Zetas Drug Cartel.

ICE agents traced the weapon used in the attack on Zapata and Avila through ballistic testing of the shell casings and raising of the obliterated serial number on on gun. The trace led back to a gun purchased at J&J's Pawn Shop in Beaumont, TX, said ICE. The firearm, along with nine other guns, were transferred to Barba to be exported to Mexico after they were bought by straw purchasers. In total, Barba, said ICE, was responsible for exporting 44 firearms to Mexico.