An Olathe man has pleaded guilty to stealing 41 firearms and transporting child pornography into the country.
The charges stem from a June 16, 2023, burglary of a Raytown, Missouri, business belonging to a federally licensed firearms dealer.
In a news release Wednesday, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri said Frank Guereca, 23, and two other individuals backed a stolen U-Haul truck into the store and stole 41 firearms.
Three of the stolen pistols were later recovered, one in California and two in Mexico.
Guereca was arrested while trying to cross the United States-Mexico border on April 25, 2024.
“Guereca had in his possession a Samsung Galaxy cell phone which was seized by law enforcement,” the release said. “Subsequent review of the contents of the phone, pursuant to a federal search warrant, revealed at least 250 images and 70 videos depicting child pornography, which Guereca transported into the United States from Mexico.”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection records show that Guereca crossed the U.S.-Mexico border about 20 times since the 2023 burglary in Raytown.
Federal statutes call for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison without the possibility of parole for the transportation of child pornography and 10 years in prison without the possibility of parole for the firearms theft.
Investigating agencies included the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Raytown, Missouri Police Department.
“This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime,” the release said.
A date for Guereca’s sentencing has not yet been set.
