Amarillo man charged with conspiracy to provide firearms to the Sinaloa Cartel and others charged with related crimes

AMARILLO, Texas - United States Attorney Ryan Raybould announced that a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Texas returned a twelve-count indictment against an Amarillo man for conspiracy to provide firearms to the Sinaloa Cartel and three others charged with related crimes on June 25.

Loyd Walter Hall, 27, of Amarillo, is charged with conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances for importation into the United States, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and several counts of providing false material statements to a firearms dealer, and conspiracy to straw purchase and traffic firearms. Jesus Quezada Meza, 30, a Mexican national living in Dumas, Texas, and Omar Velasquez, 44, of Utah, are each charged with conspiracy to straw purchase firearms and conspiracy to traffic firearms. Catlynn Ann Townsend, 29, of Amarillo, is charged with making a false statement in required information kept by a licensed firearms dealer.

From 2024 to 2026, Hall and several of his co-conspirators maintained a relationship with a member of the Sinaloa Cartel in Chihuahua, Mexico. Through this relationship, Hall provided firearms, technical know-how, and guidance on evading U.S. law enforcement to the Sinaloa Cartel despite his awareness of the Cartel's status as a foreign terrorist organization. Hall worked with named and unnamed co-conspirators to accomplish this objective.

"Every firearm trafficked from the United States to a cartel strengthens its ability to terrorize communities, secure drug operations, engage in corruption, and commit international fuel theft," said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. "This case highlights my office's commitment to dismantling all the cartels' criminal networks. We won't stop until the cartels and those who aid and abet them are completely eradicated."

"The allegations in this indictment describe not only the illegal trafficking of firearms to a designated foreign terrorist organization, but also efforts to provide the Sinaloa Cartel with guidance on bypassing U.S. firearms laws and avoiding law enforcement detection," said Brian Garner, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Dallas Field Division. "Individuals who knowingly arm violent criminal organizations and help them exploit our laws threaten the safety and security of communities on both sides of the border. ATF remains committed to working alongside our federal, state, local, and international law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those who support transnational criminal organizations."

"Homeland Security Investigations is committed to disrupting and dismantling the criminal networks that threaten our communities and national security," said HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard. "This indictment demonstrates the strength of our partnerships and our resolve to hold accountable those who traffic firearms and provide material support to violent cartels. HSI will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to ensure that those who endanger American lives face justice."

Each defendant has made an initial appearance in court.

If convicted, Hall faces up to a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. Meza and Velasquez each face up to 15 years in federal prison. Townsend faces up to five years in federal prison.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from the FBI and the Amarillo Police Department.

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting, the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. The outstanding defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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