Woman pleads guilty to helping smuggle ammo, gun parts to Philippines
A Long Beach woman has pleaded guilty to helping smuggle gun parts and thousands of rounds of ammunition to the Philippines.
The Long Beach Press-Telegram says 61-year-old Marlou Mendoza entered the plea Monday and could face up to 15 years in federal prison.
Her son, Mark, remains a fugitive.
Federal prosecutors say that in 2011, Mendoza shipped tens of thousands of 22.-caliber rounds to her native country without providing the required written notice. She was arrested last year at Los Angeles International Airport as she returned from a trip to the Philippines.
An indictment alleges that her son used his company, Last Resort Armaments, to order more than $100,000 worth of firearms equipment and ammunition, including parts for M-16 and AR-15 rifles that require State Department licenses for shipping
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