Things didn’t go as planned for an Arizona man trying to smuggle 3,000 rounds of ammunition into Mexico. He faces a sentence of up to 45 years due to allegedly assaulting a Border Patrol officer and wrecking his pickup truck. 

Disaster strikes for smuggler with 3,000 rounds of ammunition 

Police officers arrested 32-year-old Miguel Soto-Morando for allegedly trying to smuggle 3,000 rounds of ammunition from Arizona to Mexico. 

Soto-Morando faces a prison sentence of up to 45 years due to assaulting a Border Patrol officer during the incident. Things quickly turned to disaster as Miguel tried to enter Mexico through the Denis Deconcini Port of Entry. 

According to KTAR, authorities flagged his truck for a secondary inspection and he tried to flee to Mexico. A CBP officer reached into his truck, but he raced toward the gate to get into Mexico. 

Then he hit a pillar, ejecting the officer. As Soto-Morando exited his truck, two officers, including the one that was ejected opened fire. He was shot twice. 

As authorities investigated his pickup truck, they found a spare tire containing 3,140 ammunition rounds intended to be smuggled across the border. 

Because Soto-Morando is a convicted felon, he’s a prohibited possessor. This means it’s illegal for him to carry a gun or ammunition. 

Soto-Morando was indicted on one count of smuggling ammunition from the United States, one count of having ammunition as a prohibited possessor, and one count of assaulting a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon. 

If convicted, he could face up to 45 years behind bars. There’s a maximum penalty of 10 years for smuggling goods from the United States. Also, 15 years for carrying ammunition as a prohibited possessor and 30 years for assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon. 

If he had complied with officers, they might not have found the ammunition. Also, he probably wouldn’t have been shot twice.