A Mexican national and three U.S. citizens are facing federal charges in the United States for allegedly participating in a firearms supply network for the Sinaloa Cartel. The indictment, returned by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Texas, alleges that the group operated between 2024 and 2026 and maintained contact with members of the criminal organization in Mexico.
The case is among the first investigations in which U.S. prosecutors have brought charges involving alleged material support to a foreign terrorist organization after Washington designated the Sinaloa Cartel as such in 2025. In addition to firearms trafficking charges, the indictment includes offenses related to drug trafficking and making false statements to acquire firearms.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas identified Loyd Walter Hall, 27, of Amarillo, as the lead defendant. The case also involves Jesús Quezada Meza, a 30-year-old Mexican citizen residing in Dumas, Texas; Omar Velásquez, 44, of Utah; and Catlynn Ann Townsend, 29, of Amarillo.
Te podría interesar
According to the indictment, Hall is charged with conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances intended for importation into the United States, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, making false statements to acquire firearms, and conspiracy to unlawfully purchase and traffic firearms.
ALSO READ: "El Mayo" Zambada Sentenced to Life in Prison in U.S.
The Alleged Operation
Court documents allege that between 2024 and 2026, Hall established a relationship with a member of the Sinaloa Cartel based in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Through that contact, he allegedly supplied firearms, shared technical information about their operation, and provided guidance on how to avoid detection by U.S. authorities during the operation.
The indictment also alleges that Hall coordinated with others to acquire firearms through straw purchasers and then transfer them to members of the criminal organization in Mexico. Prosecutors said Hall was aware that the Sinaloa Cartel had been designated a foreign terrorist organization.
Jesús Quezada Meza and Omar Velásquez are charged with conspiracy to unlawfully purchase and traffic firearms. Meanwhile, Catlynn Ann Townsend is accused of making false statements during the purchase of firearms from a federally licensed dealer.
All four defendants have already made their initial appearances in federal court. The case will proceed as prosecutors present evidence and the defense responds to the allegations.
Background: A New Priority for Washington
The investigation is part of the United States' broader strategy to curb the flow of firearms into Mexico. Over the past two years, federal authorities have made these trafficking networks a national security priority and expanded investigations targeting those who supply weapons to drug cartels.
In February 2025, the U.S. government designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a foreign terrorist organization. That designation enabled prosecutors to use additional criminal statutes against individuals accused of providing resources, equipment, or weapons to the organization.
Since then, agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Department of Homeland Security have intensified operations aimed at dismantling firearms supply chains operating primarily from border states such as Texas and Arizona.
The strategy has also expanded to include financial enforcement measures. The U.S. Department of the Treasury has strengthened oversight of banking activity, businesses, and cryptocurrency transactions allegedly linked to the purchase of firearms for different factions of the Sinaloa Cartel.
Cooperation Against Firearms Trafficking
The United States and Mexico maintain information-sharing mechanisms to trace firearms seized during operations against organized crime. By analyzing serial numbers, U.S. authorities identify points of sale and reconstruct the routes used to transport weapons into Mexican territory.
Investigators are also seeking to identify so-called straw purchasers—individuals who legally buy firearms and later transfer them to criminal organizations. U.S. authorities consider this one of the primary methods used to acquire weapons for trafficking.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said the investigation is being led by the ATF and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from the FBI and the Amarillo Police Department.
If convicted, Hall could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Jesús Quezada Meza and Omar Velásquez each face up to 15 years in prison, while Townsend could receive a sentence of up to five years. Prosecutors emphasized that an indictment is a formal allegation, and that all four defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
djh