TAMPA, Fla. — International firearms trafficker Jonathan Ortega Martinez has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday for conspiracy to traffic firearms and trafficking in firearms, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Ortega Martinez and members of his conspiracy were found guilty of recruiting people to legally purchase firearms from licensed dealers and then proceeding to smuggle the weapons overseas, to countries like the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
Guns purchased and dealt consisted of Glocks, rifles, and AK-47s.
Ortega Martinez and his co-conspirators trafficked more than 1,000 firearms.
After further investigation, officials uncovered a handful of these firearms at crime scenes.
On April 18, 2024, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations agents in Tampa and Orlando carried out three search warrants around Orlando. Upon searching, agents discovered Ortega Martinez, and also recovered 57 firearms, 30 empty gun boxes, and $16,000 in cash, ammunition, and money counters.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm,s and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations, with support from INTERPOL Washington, according to the DOJ.
Two other co-conspirators were also indicted and convicted of conspiracy to traffic firearms.
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