A previously convicted East Los Angeles man was sentenced Tuesday to 11 years and three months behind bars for his role in a ring that trafficked guns and drugs.
James "Mouse" Espinoza, 30, pleaded guilty in July in Los Angeles federal court to one count each of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and trafficking firearms, according to the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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Espinoza has been in federal custody since his arrest in December 2022.
From June 2022 to November 2022, Espinoza and his accomplices sold about 20 handguns and rifles and nearly eight pounds of methamphetamine, authorities said. Several of the firearms were privately manufactured and lacked serial numbers -- commonly referred to as ghost guns -- making them frequently untraceable, according to the ATF.
Espinoza was selling and possessing firearms despite his conviction five years ago in Los Angeles Superior Court for second-degree robbery, according to the ATF.
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