KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Olathe, Ks., man pleaded guilty last week before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to stealing 41 firearms from a gun store in Raytown, Missouri., and for transporting child pornography on his cell phone into the United States from Mexico.
Frank Guereca, 23, pleaded guilty today to one count of stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee and one count of transportation of child pornography.
On June 16, 2023, Guereca and two others backed a stolen U-Haul truck into the store of a federally licensed firearms dealer, located in Raytown, Mo., creating a hole in the front of the business. Thereafter Guereca and the others entered through the hole and took 41 firearms from the business. One of the stolen pistols was recovered in Tracy, Ca., on Nov. 14, 2023. A second stolen pistol was recovered in Chihuahua, Mexico, on Dec. 19, 2023. A third stolen pistol was recovered in Juarez, Mexico, on Feb. 6, 2024.
Guereca was arrested on April 25, 2024, as he attempted to cross back into the United States from Mexico. Guereca had in his possession a Samsung Galaxy cell phone, which was seized by law enforcement. Subsequent review of the contents of the phone pursuant to a federal search warrant revealed at least approximately 250 images and 70 videos depicting child pornography, which Guereca transported into the United States from Mexico.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection records, Guereca had previously crossed the border approximately 20 times since the burglary and theft on June 16, 2023.
Under federal statutes, Guereca is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in prison without parole for the firearm theft, and up to 20 years in prison without parole for the transportation of child pornography. The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Alison D. Dunning. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Raytown, Mo., Police Department.