Cherokee County Felon And Five Straw Purchasers Sentenced For Federal Firearms Crimes

Press Release

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Eduardo Garcia, age 55, Eric Lopez, age 46, Eric Jesus Lopez, age 28, Savanna Jade Lopez, age 28, Francisco Hernandez, age 25, and Christian Lopez, age 27, each of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, were sentenced on federal firearms charges.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Eduardo Garcia, aka Eduardo Garcia Olvera, aka Eduardo Olvera Garcia, aka "Lalo", was sentenced to 18 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. On May 18, 2023, Garcia pleaded guilty to the charge.

Eric Lopez, Eric Jesus Lopez, Savanna Jade Lopez, and Christian Lopez each pleaded guilty to one count of False Statements During the Purchase of a Firearm and were sentenced to five years' probation.

Francisco Hernandez pleaded guilty to one count of False Statements During the Purchase of a Firearm and was sentenced to four years' probation.

According to investigators, on November 4, 2022, ATF agents discovered Eduardo "Lalo" Garcia in possession of one 20 GA Browning Light Twenty shotgun, one 20 GA Mossberg model 185K shotgun, one 9mm Ruger PC Carbine, and one completely built AR-15 style upper receiver in 5.56 NATO caliber, together with 19 empty gun boxes for manufactured firearms and over 2,900 rounds of ammunition, all shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce. At the time Garcia possessed the firearms, he had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was prohibited from possessing firearms.

An investigation by ATF agents revealed that five of those gun boxes bore serial numbers that matched firearms purchased for Garcia.

The investigation also revealed that between October of 2021 and October 2022, Eric Lopez, Eric Jesus Lopez, Savanna Jade Lopez, Christian Lopez, and Francisco Hernandez purchased a total of 107 firearms from four licensed firearms retailers in the Tahlequah and Muskogee areas. For each purchase, the defendants falsely stated on a Department of Justice ATF Form 4473 that they were the actual buyers of the firearms. In reality, the defendants were purchasing the firearms for Garcia, who was unable to complete purchases due to his felony conviction. Law enforcement in Mexico recovered one of those firearms, a Glock 9mm pistol, five months after a family member purchased it for Garcia.

"Enforcing federal firearm regulations is a crucial part of protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens and ensuring public safety," said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. "Felons like Mr. Garcia and others who would otherwise not be able to legitimately purchase or possess firearms often look for buyers with no previous criminal history to act as straw purchasers on their behalf. Garcia and his co-defendants attempted to thwart the safeguards and are being held accountable for their acts."

"When family and friends choose to commit crime together, they become felons together. Federal firearms laws are designed to keep weapons from those that shouldn't have them, and today's sentencing is a notice to all that ATF and its partners will relentlessly pursue those who choose to ignore them. Whether you are a felon in possession or supplying prohibited persons with firearms, we will find you and prosecute," said ATF Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The Honorable Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Garcia will remain out of custody pending assignment to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.

Updated October 24, 2024