LAS VEGAS, NEVADA (BNO NEWS) – A Mexican immigrant was sentenced to 2 and a half years in prison for dealing firearms without a license in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. Attorney Daniel Bodgen announced on Tuesday.

Claudio Caesar Penunuri, 36, was sentenced after using straw buyers to purchase at least 28 rifles and handguns in Las Vegas area. Penunuri, a Mexican national, knew that the firearms were bought to be transported to Mexico for criminal activity.

Penunuri, aka “Zorra” or “Arturo Cardenas”, used another man, J.V. to fulfill his scheme. He paid J.V. over $100,000 for the guns. J.V. bought them from licensed dealers in Las Vegas; using his name and in the name of others. The guns were sent to Penunuri to his residence in Anaheim, California.

The defendant sold the weapons to another individual from Sinaloa, Mexico. Twenty-five of the arms were rifles, including four .50 caliber rifles, and the rest were .7 caliber pistols.