ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The former owner of an Albuquerque gun store is now admitting to his role in a gun-trafficking scheme that had ties to the former Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales and Undersheriff Rudy Mora. The former owner of a now-closed gun store in southwest Albuquerque, James Tafoya, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting his co-defendant, the accused ring leader of the scheme, in keeping false records by a federal firearm licensee.

When initially indicted in 2023, federal documents alleged Tafoya got signatures from Gonzales and Mora for law letters implying the guns he requested were for legitimate purposes when the intent was to sell them to private parties.

According to the plea agreement, from 2018 to 2021, Tafoya sought out signatures from Gonzales, Mora, and

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