Maryland Man Charged With Firearms Trafficking in Ocean County, NJ
- A Maryland man is accused of trafficking firearms into Ocean County
- Officials say some guns were stolen or had no serial numbers
- He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted
Maryland Man Arrested in Ocean County Case
A Maryland man has been arrested and charged with trafficking in firearms in Ocean County.
25-year-old Luiz "El Biggie" Vargas of Upper Marlboro, MD, is facing one count of trafficking in firearms. Vargas made his initial appearance in Trenton federal court on August 11th and was detained.
Details of the Investigation
Federal authorities say back in January, law enforcement began investigating Vargas for trafficking firearms into New Jersey from, among other places, Texas and Maryland.
They said using a confidential source acting at the direction of law enforcement, officers conducted four controlled purchases of guns, which yielded a total of eight firearms: two semiautomatic rifles and six handguns.
Two of the handguns were reported stolen out of Texas and Colorado and the two semiautomatic rifles had no serial numbers or other identifiable markings on them.
Officials also said that on at least one occasion, Vargas provided cocaine to the confidential source after being unable to follow through with a promised sale of firearms.
Potential Prison Time and Penalties
If convicted, Vargas faces up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Multiple law enforcement agencies worked on this case, including the FBI, ICE, the Ocean County Sheriff's Office, and nine local police departments.
The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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