TULSA, Oklahoma — Andres Avila, 48, of Mexico, and his son, Anthony Avila, 22, of Houston, Texas, have been charged with illegal firearms trafficking, according to federal authorities. The charges stem from their alleged involvement in trafficking 75 firearms and ammunition purchased at local gun shows.
The investigation was conducted by ICE Homeland Security Investigations Dallas, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Andres Avila faces an additional charge for being an alien unlawfully in the U.S. in possession of firearms and ammunition.
According to authorities, the Avilas were observed engaging in activities consistent with straw purchasing and firearms trafficking, including transporting guns in backpacks and paying cash to avoid detection.
“Oftentimes, illegally trafficked firearms end up in the hands of drug cartels, terrorists, foreign adversaries, or other bad actors,” said Travis Pickard, HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge. “By uncovering this scheme and seizing these firearms, we’ve prevented a large cache of deadly weapons from potentially fueling criminal activity.”
Court documents indicate that after spending over six hours at a gun show, the Avilas left in a vehicle with a Texas license plate. A traffic stop revealed large quantities of bulk ammunition, and further investigation confirmed Andres Avila is not legally in the United States and prohibited from possessing firearms.
Vendors at the gun show, who had interacted with the Avilas through a Texas pawn shop, confirmed that firearms were stored in totes beneath their table. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell is prosecuting the case. Authorities stress that these charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
