Federal agents arrested a Mexican man and seized three rifles Wednesday when they searched an Alton home.
Border Patrol agents conducted surveillance on the 1100 block of North Alton Boulevard on Wednesday after receiving information about a nearby stash house, according to federal court records.
A deputy constable stopped a vehicle leaving the home. Border Patrol agents determined the driver, Armando Sandoval-Rivera, wasn TMt lawfully present in the United States.
Border Patrol agents searched the home, where they found three assault rifles and a pistol, according to federal court records.
Sandoval told agents he purchased some weapons for protection after a burglary and used the other guns for hunting, according to the criminal complaint against him.
Border Patrol agents seized:
1 Marlin Firearms 60W .22LR caliber rifle 1 Marlin Firearms 60 .22LR caliber rifle 94 rounds of .22LR caliber ammunition 1 Taurus PT 609 Pro 9mm caliber handgun 1 Taurus PT 609 9mm caliber handgun magazine 9 rounds of 9mm caliber ammunition 1 Romarm/CUCIR GP/WASR 7.62x39mm caliber assault rifle 3 Tapco 7.62x39mm caliber assault rifle magazines 60 rounds of 7.62x39mm caliber ammunition
Border Patrol turned the case over to Homeland Security Investigations, a division of U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement.
Magistrate Judge Peter E. Ormsby charged Sandoval with unlawful possession of firearms.
Court records don TMt list an attorney for Sandoval, who remains in federal custody.