Five years ago today, Marine and Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was killed in a firefight by Mexican bandits. The firearms used by the criminals who killed him were part of the Obama Justice Department's Operation Fast and Furious. As a reminder, ATF agents allowed more than 2500 AK-47s and other firearms to be purchased and trafficked by known Mexican cartel members through Fast and Furious. Hundreds of people have been killed as a result of the program, which was secret until ATF whistleblower John Dodson exposed it after Terry's death in 2010.
"Five years later. We have celebrated Brian so many times that it warms my heart. This is a little something of past friends and ones we met along the way at events held to honor Brian. I thank all of you with every ounce of my being! We will keep fighting. 11:08pm tonight is when a deadly gunfight happened and took Brian. Please also pray for his team that was there when he took his last breathe and The Border Patrol family," Terry's sister, Kelly Terry-Willis, posted to her Facebook page late yesterday.Today, not a single ATF agent has been fired as a result of the operation. Terry's killers have been sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty on a variety of different charges, including first degree murder.
Two members of a "rip crew" that engaged in a fatal firefight with U.S. Border Patrol Agents near the Mexican border in December 2010 were found guilty of murder today by a U.S. District Court jury in Tucson.Agent Brian Terry was killed in the fight, and guns found at the scene were traced to the scandalously flawed federal gun-running sting operation called "Fast and Furious."
Jurors convicted Ivan Soto-Barraza and Jesus Leonel Sanchez-Meza, who were extradited from Mexico to stand trial for Terry's death, on all counts: first-degree murder -- though neither is believed to have fired the fatal bullet -- second-degree murder, conspiracy, attempted robbery, carrying a firearm in a violent crime, and four counts of assaulting a federal officer.
May he rest in peace and may his family one day see complete justice.