A Texas border woman and a male associate received steep prison sentences for their role in an attempt to smuggle approximately 36 grenades into Mexico. The grenades were destined for the hands of waiting cartel gunmen.
Noe Ramirez and Juliette Ramirez, both 28-years-old and not related, went before U.S. District Judge Alia Moses this week who handed down their sentences, court records obtained by Breitbart Texas revealed.
Moses sentenced Noe Ramirez to 8 years one month and Juliette Ramirez to five years in prison on charges related to the exportation of military grade sub-munitions.
The two cartel grenade smugglers had previously pleaded guilty to the charges which stem from an August 2014 failed smuggling attempt. During that attempt, Juliette tried to walk from Del Rio into Ciudad Acuna with one grenade in her backpack.
Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection stopped her for an inspection and found the grenade in the backpack. In response to the grenade, they cleared the bridge and called for the Laredo Police Bomb Squad to handle the grenade.
During questioning by agents with Homeland Security investigations, Ramirez told them that there were 35 other grenades at an apartment in Del Rio. Authorities went to the apartment and found them in the closet of a child’s room where Noe was staying.
Juliette told agents that she was to be paid $2,000 to take the 36 grenades into Ciudad Acuna.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award winning journalist with Breitbart Texas you can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook.
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