Nevada Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms Trafficking and Money Laundering Charges
Luis Alberto Osorio of Elko, Nevada, admitted to straw purchasing 140 firearms for Mexican drug organizations and faces up to 70 years in prison.
3 reports on this incident · first at Aug 16, 2026, 4:10 p.m. ET
This case is not concluded. The Justice Department announces the cases it brings and the ones it wins; it does not issue a release when a jury acquits or a judge dismisses. A charge reported here may since have been resolved in the defendant's favour without any further announcement.
Earlier reports
Aug 16, 2026, 4:22 p.m. ET
Nevada Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms Trafficking and Laundering Charges
On August 16, 2026, Luis Alberto Osorio of Elko, Nevada, pleaded guilty in the District of Nevada to four federal charges, according to OANN. The charges consist of one count of straw purchasing of firearms, one count of trafficking in firearms, one count of harboring aliens, and one count of conspiracy to money launder. He faces a statutory maximum penalty of 70 years in prison.
According to OANN, the government alleged that from April 1, 2020, to September 17, 2025, Osorio conspired with co-defendants to purchase 140 firearms, magazines and ammunition—including multiple large-caliber and long-range firearms—on behalf of people affiliated with drug trafficking organizations in Mexico. The government also alleged that Osorio laundered the proceeds and harbored people unlawfully residing in the United States to employ them at a Nevada mining company.
OANN reported that the case was investigated by the FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, IRS-CI, Las Vegas Metro Police Department, United States Marshals Service, and Nevada Gaming Commission.
Aug 16, 2026, 4:10 p.m. ETFirst report
Elko Man Enters Plea in Nevada Federal Court Case Involving Firearm Trafficking Charges
On August 16, 2026, announcements revealed that Luis Alberto Osorio of Elko, Nevada, entered a plea in the District of Nevada in a case that remains open and developing, according to OANN. Osorio faces four counts: one count of straw purchasing of firearms, one count of trafficking in firearms, one count of harboring aliens, and one count of conspiracy to money launder.
According to OANN, the government alleged that between April 1, 2020, and September 17, 2025, Osorio conspired with co-defendants to purchase 140 firearms, magazines, and ammunition—including multiple large-caliber and long-range firearms—for individuals affiliated with drug trafficking organizations in Mexico. The government further alleged that Osorio laundered the proceeds and harbored people unlawfully residing in the United States to employ them at a Nevada mining company.
OANN reported that the charges carry a statutory maximum penalty of 70 years in prison. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, IRS-CI, the Las Vegas Metro Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and the Nevada Gaming Commission.
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Revision history
- Version 116 Aug 2026, 20:22current
First published.
- Version 116 Aug 2026, 20:10current
First published.
- Version 116 Aug 2026, 20:26current
First published.
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