Fort Bliss soldier pleads guilty to gun smuggling

A Fort Bliss soldier has pleaded guilty in taking part in a gun smuggling scheme.
Audi Sumilat, 36, accepted a plea deal on Tuesday, July 5.

According to court documents obtained by the ABC-7 I-Team, Sumilat would buy guns in El Paso with the intention of sending them to Indonesia.

Sumilat was assigned to Ft. Bliss in February of 2005.

Court documents show the offenses occurred on various dates between Sept. 28, 2015 and Oct. 21, 2015. The documents also show that Sumilat had an accomplice, Feky Ruland Sumual, who was living in New Hampshire. Sumual is Sumilat’s uncle. The plea agreement affidavit states Sumual then would pass the guns onto members of the Indonesian Presidential Guard in Washington D.C., who in turn would then export the guns to Indonesia.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began investigating after seven, 9 mm guns were bought at a gun store in New Hampshire by Sumual.

The leading agent in the investigation said “based upon my training and experience, I know firearm collectors, sportsmen and those acquiring firearms for personal protection usually do not purchase legal multiple of the same or similar firearm models. I also am suspicious of the transactions because they all involved the purchase of 9 mm caliber firearms. Based upon my training and experience, I know that 9 mm caliber firearms are often illegally trafficked overseas because 9 mm ammunition is readily available while ammunition in other calibers is not as prevalent.”

Simulat also pleaded guilty to making false statements after falsifying the guns he was purchasing were for him. He will be sentenced at a later date.