Spotlight on ATF "gunwalker" scandal ratchets up pace of criminal investigation into agent's death
by Jim Shepherd
Although the administration's not admitting it, the heat put on the Attorney General's office regarding the widening "gunwalker" scandal may be ratcheting up the pace in rounding up the criminals involved in the arms smuggling disaster.
On Wednesday, three men were arrested in connection with the smuggled firearms that ended the life of Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) Agent Jamie Zapata. Two, Ranferi Osorio, 27, and his brother, Otilio Osorio, 22, were charged with possessing firearms with obliterated serial numbers and involvement in the smuggling of the guns that allegedly killed Agent Zapata.
According to authorities Otilio Osorio allegedly purchased that firearm on October 10, 2010, in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. Ballistic testing conducted by Mexican authorities on this firearm indicated it was one of the three firearms used during the deadly assault on Special Agent Zapata's vehicle.
At this point, an alphabet soup of federal and state agencies are involved in the investigation: ATF, DEA, FBI, U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and the Lancaster, Texas, Police Department.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Tromblay for the Northern District of Texas. Don't know how much public scrutiny Attorney Tromblay has ever faced, but it's a safe bet this one will have levels of scrutiny far beyond any other smuggling case in recent memory.
In the past, it wouldn't be unusual for a senior prosecutor from Washington to come down and help with the trial. Given the toxic political nature of "project gunwalker" there probably aren't may U.S. Attorneys volunteering for that assignment.
Republished from The Outdoor Wire.
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