McALLEN — A Palmhurst man faces a federal firearm charge for allegedly paying another person to purchase firearms for him, records show.
On Wednesday, U.S. Magistrate granted Irvin Gabriel Iglesias a $40,000 bond in connection with a case in which he allegedly paid another person to falsify a federal firearms form and purchase firearms for him, the complaint against Iglesias stated.
Iglesias, 40, made his initial appearance in federal court May 7 in connection with a criminal complaint that alleges that on May 5, Iglesias paid another man to fill out an Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives form — ATF Form 4473 — at a licensed firearms dealer shop in Mission.
On that day, ATF agents were conducting surveillance at the aforementioned Mission firearms dealer location.
“Agents observed an individual exit the store with two rifle boxes and place the boxes inside a vehicle parked outside the store. Shortly thereafter, agents observed Irvin Iglesias enter his vehicle,” the complaint stated.
Agents approached Iglesias before he left the location, and subsequently detained and interviewed him.
During the interview, Iglesias said he knew the person who had come out of the store with two rifle boxes.
“Iglesias admitted he recruited that individual to purchase firearms for him that day,” the document stated.
Iglesias stated he paid that person to straw purchase two Rock River Arms from the firearms dealer.
“Iglesias admitted that he knew that the individual would be knowingly making a false and fictitious statement which was intended or likely to deceive the FFL dealer with respect to a material fact to the lawfulness of the sale of the firearms, namely that the individual recruited by Iglesias was the actual buyer of the firearms when in truth, and in fact, Iglesias was the actual buyer,” the court record shows.
He admitted that he paid the person $200; $100 for each firearm he purchased for him.
As of Thursday, Iglesias was still in federal custody, records show.
