Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

GAINESVILLE, Ga. - Miguel Angel Rosas-Ramirez and Eduardo Estrada Medina have been arraigned on federal firearm and drug charges.  A federal indictment charges that Rosas-Ramirez, a citizen of Mexico, used an unlawfully obtained concealed carry permit to purchase multiple firearms, which his alien status prohibits under federal law, and that he then sold the guns to others, including Estrada.  The indictment further charges that Estrada, a citizen of Guatemala, illegally reentered the United States after being deported, purchased several weapons from Rosas-Ramirez, and trafficked in methamphetamine.

 

“Guns are an all-too-frequent part of the illegal drug business, and the majority of these guns arrive in drug dealers’ hands from illegal firearm trafficking as alleged in this case,” said U. S. Attorney John Horn.  “This case is even more troubling because one of the alleged gun purchasers already had been deported once as a result of illegal drug trafficking, and yet found his way back to the United States and to the dangerous combination of methamphetamine and guns.”

 

“ATF’s involvement in securing this indictment is a prime example of the successful use of federal laws to confront, engage and eliminate criminal activity.  Criminals must understand that there are serious repercussions for illegal trafficking of narcotics and illegal possession of firearms and that ATF will contribute all necessary time and effort to ensure that the individuals responsible are brought to justice,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Schmidt.

 

According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges, and other information presented in court, Rosas-Ramirez falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen in order to obtain a Georgia Weapons Carry Permit. He then allegedly used the permit to illegally purchase over 100 firearms in the past year, several of which have been recovered in the hands of illegal aliens who were themselves trafficking drugs. The indictment charges that Eduardo Estrada Medina, who was also known as Miguel Angel Donis-Gonzalez, not only possessed firearms that Rosas-Ramirez purchased, but also had 8.8 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine, over $140,000 cash, and other drug paraphernalia in his home.  Medina was deported in January 2013 after he was convicted of drug trafficking.  He then illegally re-entered the United States.

 

Medina faces charges of unlawful possession of firearms by an alien, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking activity, possession of an unregistered silencer, and unlawful possession of firearms by a felon.  Rosas-Ramirez has been charged with unlawful possession of firearms by an alien, unlawful dealing in firearms, unlawful claim to U.S. citizenship, and 18 counts of fraudulent statements to licensed gun dealers in connection with firearms purchases.

 

Miguel Angel Rosas-Ramirez, 24, a Mexican citizen living in Statham, Georgia, and Eduardo Estrada Medina, a/k/a Miguel Angel Donis-Gonzalez, 28, a Guatemalan citizen in the United States living in Winder, Georgia, were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Clay Fuller.  A federal grand jury indicted the pair on June 27, 2017.

 

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges.  The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

 

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Keen is prosecuting the case.

 

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.