Second “Fast And Furious” Gun Linked To Murder Of ICE Agent Turns Up…
(CBS News) — Prosecutors recently sentenced a Texas man, Manuel Barba, for trafficking a weapon connected to the murder of Immigration and Customs (ICE) Agent Jaime Zapata. Nobody was more astonished to learn of the case than Zapata’s parents, who didn’t know that Barba had been arrested or linked to their son’s murder.
“The family was obviously surprised to learn that there was a case involving a weapon linked to the Zapata incident,” attorney Trey Martinez told CBS News. Martinez represents Zapata’s parents and the surviving ICE agent in the assault, Victor Avila. “They were surprised they had never been contacted in the capacity as victims so they could give a response or some kind of reaction at the time of sentencing.”
Barba was sentenced to 100 months in prison on January 30th. When we asked why the Zapatas weren’t contacted, prosecutors in Houston told CBS News they only handled the weapons charges: conspiracy, false statements and exportation/receipt of firearms. Zapata’s actual murder “is being handled by another US Attorney’s office and… is separate and apart from the firearms case that was handled by our district,” said a spokeswoman. She added the firearms offenses “are crimes that do not involve victims in the legal sense of the word and therefore, notifications are not part of the legal process.”
In a related development, CBS News has obtained documents showing that Barba was under ATF surveillance for at least six months before a rifle he trafficked was used in Zapata’s murder. Zapata’s government vehicle was ambushed by suspected cartel thugs in Mexico Feb. 15, 2011.
Documents indicate ATF opened its case against Barba, entitled “Baytown Crew,” in June of 2010. During the investigation, court records state Barba recruited straw purchasers and “facilitated the purchase and exportation of at least 44 firearms” including assault rifles. On August 20, 2010 Barba took delivery of the WASR-10 semi-automatic rifle later used in Zapata’s murder, obliterated its serial number, and sent it to Mexico with nine others just like it. Nearly two months later, on Oct. 8, 2010, ATF agents recorded a phone call in which Barba “spoke about the final disposition of … firearms to Mexico and also about the obliterating of the serial numbers before they were trafficked.” Barba told straw purchasers the guns were destined for the Zeta drug cartel.
Posted by ZIP on Thursday, February 23, 2012, at 10:05 am | 
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DOJ, FBI, RNC and administration all quiet about this – as usual.
Too late, Obama already said Holder isn’t repsonsible and Rep. Issa ageed.
“Prosecutors recently sentenced”
Since when does prosecutors sentence anyone? I take it that they mean “Charged”, but really with it being “C-Bull-Sh_t” you never know!
And more will surface all the while Holder will just shrug his shoulders and claim he did nothing wrong and had no idea what is happening in his office. This guy is a joke, and a bad one at that, but then look at this whole administration. Having real bad dreams at night thinking we are going to witness another 4 years of this madness in chief gang of thugs.
Have Eric Holder indited for assecory to first degree murder have him and the murerer given the electic chair
more obama /holder coverup by the msm , keep it put of the news by obama’s liars thieves and whores.
I appreciate this CBS reporter’s tenacity on this issue. She’s the only non-Fox reporter paying any attention to it, whatsoever.
It would be so great to see Obama and Holder standing trial for murder in Mexico.
This entire sordid mess would’ve been the end of any R. Period.
I want/demand to know if yesterday’s across-border shooting of a woman in El Paso, Texas, who was pushing her kid in a stroller, was by a “Fast and Furious” gun. I believe every American gun made has a ballistic record before leaving the manufacturer, and each gun recorded to the individual store/seller. The Arizona gun dealers forced into the gunwalker project should be demanding this info too…
http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_20010577
If these guns continue to be identified, we’ll soon have enough to equip an adequate firing squad to kill these bastards with the same guns they have used to wreck havoc on others.
Sorry Maggie, no such technology exists that can do that even though several states have instituted such laws. The markings on a bullet change over time or can be changed by simply using a peice of sandpaper.
I sincerly hope that the Mexican goverment is able to indict Holder and extradite him for trial.
Impeach! Impeach! Impeach! I guess I can dream.
Can Mexico file charges against Obama at the UN for anything related to this ?
And if so,how much would it cost us to bribe Mexico into action ?
Am I the only one who didn’t get a rifle from the DOJ?