PHOENIX, Ariz. – Three men involved in a machinegun trafficking conspiracy were sentenced last week by U.S. District Judge Krissa M. Lanham. Alfredo Macias, 20, and Jesus David Vega-Rivera, 26, were each sentenced to 51 months in prison, while Daniel Alfredo Galvan, 20, received a sentence of 42 months. All three men, including two from Phoenix and one from Mexico, will also serve 36 months of supervised release following their prison terms.
Macias and Galvan had been negotiating with another individual to purchase machineguns with the intent to smuggle them into Mexico. They exchanged text messages that included images of the firearms and cash. When the parties met in person, Vega-Rivera was present with the cash for the machineguns. The three men were arrested at the scene by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Judge Lanham emphasized the extreme danger posed by machineguns, which can fire numerous rounds in rapid succession, capable of causing severe harm to many people in a short period of time.
Macias pleaded guilty to Possession or Transfer of a Machinegun on July 2, 2024, while Galvan and Vega-Rivera both pleaded guilty to similar charges in June 2024.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing violent crime by fostering collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The Department of Justice revitalized PSN in 2017 to target violent criminals and create locally-based strategies to make neighborhoods safer.
The ATF conducted the investigation, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona in Phoenix handled the prosecution.
