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Saints!

Thursday
March 28th, 2024

Special to the Leader & Times

 

A grand jury in Wichita returned two indictments Tuesday charging federal gun crimes under the Justice Department’s new initiative called Project Guardian, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

“We are working closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute gun crimes as part of Project Guardian,” U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Project Guardian calls for strict enforcement of federal firearms laws, as well as improved information sharing on denials of firearms transfers in an effort to disrupt potential mass shootings. Project Guardian also emphasizes the use of modern intelligence tools and technology such as the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to investigate and prevent gun crime.

 More information about Project Guardian is available at https://www.justice.gov/ag/about-project-guardian

Tuesday’s firearms indictments include the following:

• Rigoberto Ferrel Jr., 27, Garden City is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Aug. 20, 2019, in Finney County.

If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 and not less than five years and a fine up to $5 million on the drug charge. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting.

•  Vario Jesus Portillo-Salinas, 26, Liberal, is charged with two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in July and August 2019 in Seward County.

If convicted, he could face a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million on each of the drug counts, not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting.