Hermanos de Pistoleros Latinos gang members were sent to prison for trying to sell machine guns to a cartel

By Gangsters Inc. Editors

Two members of the gang Hermanos de Pistoleros Latinos (HPL) were convicted this week of unlawful possession of a machine gun. Laredo, Texas, residents and brothers Alberto Del Bosque, 24, and Anthony Del Bosque, 22, both pleaded guilty in 2023. Alberto Del Bosque was also convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Alberto was sentenced to 10 years in prison, while his brother received more than 5 years.

During the hearing, the court heard additional information about the criminal histories of both men, as well as a recent shooting in another state where a machine gun similar to the one the Del Bosque brothers sold caused the deaths of four people and injured 22 others. In handing down the prison sentences, Judge Saldaña noted that the machine guns the brothers sold were very dangerous to the public.

Selling to an alleged cartel partner

“A small piece of plastic produced quickly and at low cost on a 3D printer can turn a legal firearm into a machine gun that fires bullets indiscriminately,” said U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña. “The Del Bosque brothers manufactured these pieces of plastic known as machine gun conversion devices (MCDs) and sold them to an alleged cartel associate, demonstrating a total disregard for human life.”

The HPL translates to Brotherhood of Latin Riflemen. HPL members have ties to the cartels and are involved in the smuggling of controlled substances into the United States.

The investigation begins

On July 5, 2022, police discovered that Alberto Del Bosque was selling firearms and arranged for their purchase. He sold a Draco Nova Modul NAK9, 9mm AK pistol with 12 rounds of ammunition. As a convicted felon, Alberto Del Bosque is not allowed by federal law to possess firearms or ammunition.

In August and September 2022, the Del Bosque brothers also sold 3D printed auto-sears and privately made AR-15s with drop-in auto-sears. The buyer of the decline in auto sears and privately made AR-15s claimed to be a firearms buyer for the Cartel Del Noreste.

A drop of auto sear or MCD turns a semi-automatic firearm into a machine gun.

On October 6, 2022, authorities executed a search warrant at Anthony Del Bosque’s residence and found a 3D printer with an MCD in the printer, a paper diagram of an AR-15 drop in auto sear, numerous MCDs, ammunition from multiple calibers, AR-15 and 9mm magazines, $18,071 in U.S. currency and a device to make AR-15 lowers.

The Del Bosque brothers remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

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