TAMPA - A Hillsborough County high school teacher is heading to federal prison after investigators uncovered a gun pipeline tied to a Caribbean crime ring.
Shannon Nicole Samlalsingh, 47, of Temple Terrace, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to make false statements to a firearms dealer.
What we know:
According to federal prosecutors, Samlalsingh bought at least seven firearms and falsely claimed on federal forms they were for her personal use.
Investigators say she was actually buying those guns for a transnational criminal organization based in Trinidad, then handing them off to others who smuggled them overseas.
Authorities say several of those firearms later showed up in shipments bound for Trinidad.
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In one case, officials intercepted cargo at Piarco International Airport that had guns and ammunition hidden inside punching bags and other items.
That shipment included multiple handguns, a shotgun, high-capacity magazines and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
Investigators say Samlalsingh directly supplied at least four of the recovered guns, including several 9mm pistols.
Federal investigators worked alongside international partners, including law enforcement in Trinidad and Tobago, to break up the operation.
Officials say the case highlights ongoing concerns about illegal gun trafficking from the United States into the Caribbean.
Samlalsingh must also give up the firearms tied to the case as part of her sentence.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not said if more arrests are coming.
The Source: Information in this story comes from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and federal court documents.