An international smuggling operation that hid weapons inside workshop tools has landed a Shelbyville man in federal prison for five years.
Luis Garcia, 29, was sentenced on August 6 to 60 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky.
Federal prosecutors say Garcia illegally purchased 83 firearms from licensed dealers across Jefferson, Hardin, and Nelson counties between April 2021 and January 2024.
During each transaction, Garcia falsified federal paperwork by claiming he was the actual buyer of the weapons, which were ultimately destined for illegal export to Honduras.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers intercepted a suspicious cargo shipment in 2023 and a multi-year investigation led investigators to Garcia. An X-ray scan of a package headed to Honduras revealed anomalies inside a DeWalt planer. A physical search of the box uncovered seven hidden firearms and ammunition magazines packed inside the tool, surrounded by ordinary household goods.
Garcia was convicted on multiple federal charges, including conspiracy to deal firearms without a license, unlicensed gun dealing, attempted smuggling, and making false statements on federal firearms purchasing records.
Parole is not option in the federal prison system.
Source: WAVE
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