FORT PIERCE — A federal jury convicted a Honduran national living in Lake Worth of conspiracy and illegal firearm possession for his role in a trafficking operation that used straw buyers to purchase firearms in South Florida and smuggle them to Honduras.

Luis Matute Figueroa, 33, overstayed a tourist visa in 2017 and remained in the country without lawful status, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. As an illegal alien, Matute Figueroa was prohibited from possessing any firearms.

“This defendant exploited his unlawful presence in the United States to help traffic American firearms to Honduras,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. “This verdict reflects our commitment to dismantling international gun-trafficking networks and prosecuting illegal aliens who unlawfully possess and export firearms.”

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Matute Figueroa conspired with Gerson Eliu Padilla-Figueroa, Juan Matute Figueroa, Ariel Henriquez-Padilla and William Mendoza to acquire firearms through straw purchases in the United States and illegally export them to Honduras. WhatsApp messages recovered during the investigation showed Matute Figueroa provided co-conspirators with firearm inventories, pricing information and shipping instructions for weapons destined for Honduras. The messages also contained a photograph and a video of Matute Figueroa in possession of a distinctive gold Colt 1911 pistol.

Matute Figueroa faces up to five years in federal prison on the conspiracy count and up to 15 years on the firearm possession count. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Miami Field Division, led by Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz, and Homeland Security Investigations Miami, led by Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa. The Broward Sheriff’s Office, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Customs and Border Protection assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Huyler is prosecuting the case, filed under case number 25-cr-80206 in the Southern District of Florida.

Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.