A major bust in South Texas has landed three men in serious legal trouble after they were accused of being involved in a dangerous mix of drug dealing and gun trafficking. A federal grand jury recently indicted Fernando Patinio, a resident of Laredo, along with Albert Garcia-Guajardo and Jose Hernandez-Garza, on multiple charges related to firearms and narcotics.
Authorities say the men were running a high-risk operation that involved selling cocaine and a stash of powerful weapons, including machine guns. If convicted, Patinio and Garcia-Guajardo face some very steep penalties — a minimum of 30 years and up to life in federal prison for trafficking machine guns while dealing drugs. Hernandez-Garza, who is accused of being in the U.S. illegally while possessing firearms, could be looking at up to 15 years behind bars.
The whole case unraveled thanks to a month-long undercover investigation. Investigators say the group first sold two machine guns — including a modified Glock — on January 2. Over the following weeks, they allegedly planned to sell even more guns and cocaine. But before those deals could happen, authorities raided a location in Laredo on January 31 and found more weapons, ammunition, and drugs. The haul included two machine guns, eight pistols, high-capacity drum magazines, and bags of cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana.
Officials also revealed that both Garcia-Guajardo and Hernandez-Garza were in the U.S. without proper documentation. One of them had already been ordered to leave the country twice, with the most recent removal order issued in July 2024. Hernandez-Garza had originally entered the U.S. on a B1/B2 visa, but it had expired by the time of his arrest.
On top of lengthy prison sentences, each of the men could also face fines of up to $250,000 if found guilty. This case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to crack down on dangerous trafficking networks operating along the border.
