ATF - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
07/25/2025 | Press release | Archived content
Puerto Rico Man Indicted For Straw-Purchasing Dozens Of Firearms On Behalf Of Others (DOJ)
Press Release
Puerto Rico Man Indicted For Straw-Purchasing Dozens Of Firearms On Behalf Of Others
Friday, July 25, 2025
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For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida
Tampa, Florida - United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Esai Pastrana Cruz (30, Puerto Rico) with conspiring to make and making false statements to a firearms dealer. If convicted, Pastrana Cruz faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison on the conspiracy count and up to 10 years on each substantive count. The indictment also notifies Pastrana Cruz that the United States intends to forfeit all firearms and ammunition involved in or used in the violation.
According to the indictment, between June 29, 2019, and December 22, 2023, while living within the Middle District of Florida, Pastrana Cruz purchased dozens of firearms on behalf of his co-conspirators. While making the purchases, Pastrana Cruz falsely represented to federally licensed firearms dealers that he was the actual buyer or transferee of the firearms.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Updated July 25, 2025
Topic
Operation Take Back America
Component
USAO - Florida, Middle
ATF - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives published this content on July 25, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 28, 2025 at 12:41 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]