RACINE, Wis. — In the federal indictment charging eight people, prosecutors say 41-year-old Victor Cobian of Racine purchased high-powered rifles to be smuggled across the southern border.
Cobian's facing multiple charges, including conspiracy, dealing in firearms without a license, and smuggling goods from the United States, according to the indictment from the U.S. District Court Eastern District of Wisconsin.
The indictment came down in November of 2021 but was only unsealed in February of this year.
It states that crimes related to gun smuggling were committed from at least December 2017 through roughly March 2019.
The indictment says the guns were purchased, some online, and picked up by Cobian and others at shops in Kenosha, Waukesha and Racine.
Court documents show the investigation into the trafficking network began after a rifle was discovered by Mexican police in Guadalajara. Police, according to records, were investigating the New Generation Jalisco Cartel and the rifle was traced back to Shooters' Sports in Racine.
TMJ4 asked the owner for comment on the store being named in the indictment but we have not yet heard back. The shop previously told Reuters that they do not condone "the illegal movement of firearms."
Another store in Waukesha said it wasn't aware of the investigation and didn't recall the sale of a .50 caliber Barrett rifle as listed in the indictment.
TMJ4 was unable to reach Victor Cobian for comment. His brother, over the phone, told TMJ4 he had nothing to say about the investigation.
According to Racine Police, this was solely a federal investigation and they were not involved. The Racine County Sheriff's Office also said it had no involvement.
Court documents show that guns and ammunition acquired by alleged traffickers in Southeast Wisconsin were worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
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