JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Department of Justice sentenced two men to six years each in federal prison for smuggling firearms out of the United States.
On January 3, 2024, Antonio Jose Melean Reyes, 29, pleaded guilty to the smuggling charge and conspiring to use a facility of interstate commerce to commit a murder-for-hire.
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On January 17, 2024, Gabriel Daniel Pinnace, 32, pleaded guilty to smuggling firearms and knowingly making a materially false statement during the purchase of a firearm.
According to court documents, on May 15, 2021, Reyes and Pinnace attempted to smuggle three firearms and 57 rounds of ammunition from Jacksonville to Venezuela.
Officials said Reyes recruited Pinnace to buy the guns from federally licensed firearms dealers knowing that the guns would be sent to Venezuela.
Pinnace purchased the guns after falsifying ATF Forms 4473, which are required for all firearms purchases.
Investigators said after buying the guns, he attempted to destroy the serial numbers and gave them to Reyes, who then stored them and ammunition in a futon that he tried to mail using a freight forwarding service.
Employees from the freight forwarder saw the items during an x-ray of the parcel and contacted law enforcement.
On May 22, 2021, agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Miami seized the three firearms, which included a Glock 17 pistol and two Smith and Wesson M&P 15 rifles.
Forensic technicians at ATF restored the serial numbers, allowing Jacksonville ATF agents to trace the guns back to Pinnace.
On May 24, 2021, Pinnace reported the firearms stolen after he found out law enforcement seized the firearms.
Reyes was arrested on unrelated state charges on August 11, 2023, and agents searched his phone and found conversations between him and Pinnace about trafficking guns to Venezuela.
Agents also learned that Reyes was involved in a murder-for-hire plot. Between July 12 and August 9, 2023, Reyes and others observed two intended victims at locations in Jacksonville, including outside their home, to murder them over a $60,000 debt.
Reyes also asked Pinnace to hire a hitman for $15,000. Federal agents intervened and arrested Reyes on a criminal complaint.
On August 26, 2023, Pinnace met with an undercover agent and agreed to sell the agent three firearms. Agents observed Pinnace as he falsified another ATF Form 4473 at a Jacksonville gun store. Pinnace gave the guns to the agent and told them to destroy the serial numbers.
Agents arrested Pinnace on a criminal complaint.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office worked with several federal agencies on the investigation.