The ringleader of the rip crew that murdered U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry in 2010 received a slap on the wrist thanks to federal prosecutors in Arizona. The prosecutors asked that he only receive a 30 year prison sentence instead of a possible life term in prison or a possible death sentence.
Brian Terry, a member of an elite tactical unit, was killed on December 14, 2010, in a fierce firefight with a rip crew of gunmen who had been trying to rob Mexican drug traffickers. In the aftermath of the shootout authorities learned that some of the weapons used to kill Agent Terry were part of the infamous Fast and Furious operation. Under this operation the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) was allowing Mexican cartel members to purchase weapons in order to trace them to their source. Instead the agency lost thousands of weapons that fell into the hands of the Sinaloa Cartel.
According to court records obtained by Breitbart Texas, federal prosecutors asked that all of the charges against Rosario Rafael “El Pariente” Burboa Alvarez be dismissed except for one and that the sentence be 360 months in prison with credit given for time served. The story was initially reported by KVOA’s Michel Marizco and Lupita Murillo.
Burboa was described as a recruiter who hired out rip crews to rob Mexican cartel smugglers and paid them once the robbery was done.
The sentence was taken with great insult by the National Border Patrol Council which is the union that represents border patrol agents.
“Sickening this happened at all, but just another slap in the face that it was announced on Brian Terry’s Birthday,” NBPC said in a statement. “Honor First Brian. Your government many not seek the justice that you deserve, but your brothers and sisters in green will always remember.”
Brian Terry’s brother, Kent Terry, has been outspoken on the role of Eric Holder, the Department of Justice and the ATF in Brian’s death and the ongoing attempts to cover up information relating to this case and Fast and Furious. Responding to an inquiry from Breitbart Texas’ Bob Price, Kent Terry said, “Bob, it saddens me that the DOJ would even make a plea deal with a man that wasn’t even there that night. What information did he give..?”
“So now he will serve 27 years of a 30 year sentence, allowing for time already served, and we can’t even get answers for why these guns where put there to begin with..sad!” the surviving brother said.
Price has been writing about the murder of Agent Terry starting on the day Terry died in 2010.
According to KVOA, “Burboa’s 30 year sentence is in line with the sentence handed to Manuel Osorio-Arellanes, the man wounded during the firefight. Osorio-Arellanes faced life but was ultimately sentenced to 30 years in 2012. Jaime Avila, Jr., the Operation Fast and Furious gun buyer who purchased the two AK-47s found at the murder scene was also sentenced in 2012. He received a 57 month sentence.”
Speaking on his brother’s birthday in a Facebook post, Kent Terry said, “Happy 45th birthday to my Brother in Heaven. To those that don’t know Brian, he’s a Marine, law enforcement here in Michigan for Ecorse and Lincoln Park.”
“But that wasn’t good enough,” Kent Terry continued, “so he joined the Border Patrol and then there tactical unit known as BORTAC. Brian lost his life in the line of duty by an Illegal alien armed with guns from the FAST&FURIOUS scandal by this government administration and ATF, etc.. Brian you are missed brother..your on my mind 24/7 always! Love you and miss ya B!! God bless a American Hero!”
The family of Brian Terry during the unveiling of the statue honoring their son and brother. The statue is housed at the Brian A. Terry Border Patrol Station in Bisbee, AZ. (L-R) Michelle Terry-Balogh, Kelly Terry-Willis, Josephine Terry, Kent Terry. Photo Courtesy of Kelly Terry Willis.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award winning journalist with Breitbart Texas you can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook.