Amarillo man indicted for having drugs, 76 firearms, 54 Glock switches
A suspected Amarillo drug dealer, who reportedly had an arsenal of 76 firearms and 54 Glock switches, has been indicted on federal drug and gun charges, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton announced Tuesday.
Gabriel Michael Rendon, 28, faces charges of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of machine guns, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm.
If convicted on all counts, Rendon faces a sentence of up to life in federal prison, authorities said.
Rendon's wife, Jane Marie Burgess, 26, was charged with false statement during the purchase of a firearm. Burgess faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
“Glock switches — inch-long devices that convert regular firearms into machine guns capable of a terrifyingly swift rate of fire — are proliferating rapidly in North Texas,” said U.S. Attorney Simonton in a news release. “An armed drug trafficker is always bad news; a drug trafficker armed with a switch is exponentially more dangerous. We cannot and will not allow these devices to take over our streets.”
“Citizens of Amarillo can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Mr. Rendon no longer terrorizes the streets of their city. Illegal firearms and illicit drugs are never a good combination, especially when those guns are possessed by a prohibited person. Together with the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue the worst of the worst lawbreakers living amongst us in our communities,” stated ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II.
According to the indictment, Rendon reportedly possessed 76 firearms, including 43 pistols, 23 rifles, four shotguns, and four revolvers, as well as at least 54 Glock switches.
Due to a previous felony conviction in an Arkansas state court for possession of a controlled substance with purpose to deliver, he was legally barred from handling firearms.
Authorities said Burgess bought guns for her husband, lying on ATF Form 4473 by indicating that she was the actual buyer when she actually intended to give them to Rendon.
According to court documents, during a search of Rendon’s residence on July 26, Burgess reportedly told law enforcement that Rendon was armed at all times when at the home.
The investigation was a joint operation with the Amarillo Police Department and federal partners.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo man charged with possession of drugs, 76 firearms
