U.S. Attorney's Office seal.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) — A Guatemala man is free on bond pending his federal trial on several gun charges.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for South Dakota says Jordi Raul Rogel-Rodas, 23, from Guatemala City has pleaded not guilty to gun smuggling and related charges.
The maximum penalty is ten years in prison or a $250,000 fine.
Rogel-Rodas’ trial is set for July.
Below is the news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a Guatemala City, Guatemala, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Delivering Package with Firearms without Written Notice to the Carrier, Transferring Firearms to Out of State Resident, Making False Statement in Connection with a Purchase of Firearms, and Smuggling Goods from the United States.
Jordi Raul Rogel-Rodas, a/k/a “Jordy Raul,” age 23, was indicted on April 6, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on April 20, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and up to $800 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on April 27, 2020, June 11, 2020, August 3, 2020, October 30, 2020, and November 24, 2020, Rogel-Rodas, in connection with the attempted acquisition of several firearms, falsely indicated he was
purchasing firearms for himself, when he was, in fact, buying them for another person.
The Indictment also alleges that on January 6, 2021, Rogel-Rodas, not being a licensed firearms dealer, mailed seven firearms and 939 rounds of assorted caliber ammunition to someone residing in Guatemala.
The charges are merely accusations and Rogel-Rodas is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm, and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case.
Rogel-Rodas was released on bond pending trial, which has been set for July 20, 2021.
