Alleged firearms dealers out on bond

Two of the eight people arrested last week by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms on charges of selling firearms to the Mexican cartel have been released on bond.

Melissa Cannon, 23, and Celestino Alvarez, 36, who are each charged with one count of unlawfully selling firearms presumably to members of the Gulf Cartel, have each posted a $30,00 bond, according to court documents.

Cannon and Alvarez, along with Miguel Betts, 30, Elias Casanova, 24, Norma Casanova, 26, Agapito Macias, 29, Gerardo Silva, 24, and Ricardo Silva, 23, were arrested Friday at a home in Brownsville.

ATF agents interviewed Cannon on March 4 and she told them that in June 2007, she bought a .38-caliber pistol at a local gun shop with money given to her by Elias Casanova.

"Cannon said that she filled out the forms in her name but the guns were for (Elias) Casanova, who would get them from her in a gun store parking lot," an arrest affidavit states. "Cannon said that Casanova told her to report the guns stolen after he took them from her."

ATF agents then interviewed Gerardo Silva on March 11, who said he and his brother, Ricardo Silva, "had recruited several individuals, including Elias Casanova and Agapito Macias to purchase firearms for him, which he was acquiring for a Mexican citizen known only to him as ‘Flaco,'" an arrest affidavit states.

Gerardo Silva told ATF agents that "Flaco" would provide him with a list of firearms he wanted and he would receive $200 on each firearm he bought.

ATG agents then interviewed Ricardo Silva on the same day, who said his brother, Gerardo Silva, asked him to recruit people to purchase firearms, according to court documents.

"(Ricardo) Silva said he recruited several individuals to purchase firearms, including Miguel Betts, ... and Agapito Macias," court documents state. "(Ricardo) Silva said that he used these individuals and others three or four times to each to purchase firearms and would pay them with cash and cocaine to do this."

The group is accused of purchasing 10 .38-caliber Colt pistols, seven FN57s, and two 9mm Beretta pistols, from June 2007 to October 2007, according to court documents.

All are believed to have been active participants, and each face separate counts of unlawful sale of firearms.

Gerardo Silva, Ricardo Silva, Elias Casanova, and Betts are scheduled to appear Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Felix Recio for a preliminary examination, according to court documents.

Macias, Norma Casanova, and Cannon are scheduled to appear Thursday before Recio for a preliminary examination.