Prosecutors say dozens of rifles were illegally purchased in Texas and trafficked to Mexico.
DEL RIO, Texas — A federal jury has found a Texas man guilty in a major firearms trafficking case tied to cartel violence across the border.
According to federal officials, 30-year-old Bobby Brandon Galvan of Dale was convicted on two counts related to illegally purchasing and trafficking firearms.
Prosecutors say Galvan was connected to the La Nueva Familia Michoacana cartel and helped move weapons from Texas into Mexico.
Investigators found that between 2023 and 2024, Galvan purchased at least 24 AK-47-style rifles, which were later traced to cartel activity in Mexico.
Authorities say one of those weapons was even recovered after being used in a shootout involving Mexican law enforcement.
Officials say Galvan acted as a “straw purchaser,” buying guns, attempting to remove serial numbers and passing them along to others who trafficked them across the border.
He was arrested in July 2025 and later indicted as part of a larger case involving 26 defendants tied to crimes ranging from weapons trafficking to money laundering.
Galvan now faces up to 40 years in prison on each count.
Federal officials say the case highlights ongoing efforts to stop the flow of illegal weapons fueling cartel violence.