SAN ANTONIO, April 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- John E. Murphy, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, announced that a federal grand jury in Del Rio, Texas, this afternoon returned an indictment against Fred Farhat, the owner of Farhat's Boots and Jeans in Eagle Pass, Texas, and two other individuals for conspiring to smuggle approximately 10,000 rounds of ammunition into the Republic of Mexico.

The three-count indictment charges Farhat, 47, Noemi Carreon-Gonzalez, 33, of Eagle Pass, Texas, and her husband, Ivan Ramos-Gonzalez, with one count of conspiracy and a substantive count of smuggling ammunition from the United States. Farhat is charged with an additional substantive count of smuggling ammunition from the United States.

According to the indictment, the defendants conspired together on March 31, 2009, to purchase the ammunition from Oasis Outback L.L.C. in Uvalde, Texas, then smuggle the ammunition into Mexico. Authorities allege that on three occasions within a three-hour period, Farhat paid almost $6,000 cash for nearly 10,000 rounds of .223 and 5.56 x 45 mm ammunition. The indictment further alleges that Farhat transported the ammunition to his business, repackaged the ammunition, then with assistance from Ivan Ramos-Gonzalez, loaded the ammunition into Ramos-Gonzalez's vehicle. While on Bridge #1 attempting to enter Piedras Negras, Mexico, Ramos-Gonzales and Carreon-Gonzalez hit a northbound vehicle, then fled on foot into Mexico. Mexican authorities responding to the scene of the accident recovered all of the ammunition, as well as gun magazines and pistol clips from the defendants' vehicle.

Upon conviction of all charges, Farhat faces up to 25 years in federal prison; Ramos-Gonzalez and Carreon-Gonzalez, up to 15 years in federal prison. Farhat and Carreon-Gonzalez remain in federal custody; Ramos-Gonzalez is a fugitive.

This case was investigated by agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Brady is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.

SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice