A Pennsylvania man sought for weapons trafficking was apprehended at John F. Kennedy International Airport after authorities claimed he attempted to sneak over 70 pounds of cocaine onto an aircraft.
The Berks County District Attorney’s Office said in a Facebook post on Monday. Ian Diaz-Reales, 27, of Reading, was captured by law authorities on March 2 at the airport while attempting to carry 67 pounds of marijuana on an outbound flight.
Diaz-Reales was later extradited back to Pennsylvania, where he is facing several firearms charges. Judge Richard Drumheller arraigned him and set the bond at $100,000.00.
He was wanted for “straw purchasing” weapons, which is the practice of buying a firearm for someone who is unable to do so. According to the DA’s Office, Diaz-Reales purchased at least eight firearms from licensed dealers in the area between March 2020 and April 2023.
Law enforcement seized four of those guns later after linking them to gang and other illegal activities, according to the post.
“We will not tolerate individuals who exploit the legal firearm purchasing systems to arm criminals and fuel violence in our communities,” Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams wrote in a statement. “This investigation is a good example of the recent initiative of the Berks County Gun Violence Reduction Task Force to not only focus on current acts of violence but also investigate past crimes involving firearms and determine how these handguns entered our community and how these offenders obtained these guns which were used as a tool for violence. The goal is to stop and reduce this practice of otherwise legal purchasers to divert handguns to those who are ineligible to possess a gun. This arrest sends a clear message that our office, alongside our law enforcement partners, will relentlessly pursue those who threaten public safety through gun trafficking and drug smuggling.”
