Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Michael Adrian Nieto (31, St. Cloud) to three years in federal prison for dealing in firearms without a license. Nieto pleaded guilty on February 13, 2025.
According to court documents, Nieto, a sworn law enforcement officer, repeatedly purchased and resold firearms. Among others, Nieto supplied firearms to Ernesto Vazquez, a key member of a criminal conspiracy that smuggled hundreds of firearms to the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Haiti. In addition, to benefit the conspiracy, Nieto used police databases to provide sensitive and confidential information to Vazquez.
Between June 6, 2022, and September 4, 2024, Nieto purchased at least 58 firearms. Many of the firearms were identical and were purchased together or close in time to one another. On October 17, 2024, FBI and ATF agents executed a search warrant at Nieto’s residence, during which 12 firearms were still in Nieto’s possession.
On October 17, 2024, Nieto was interviewed by FBI and ATF agents. He admitted to repeatedly buying and reselling guns to individuals, including Vazquez, despite knowing that Vazquez was transferring these guns to third parties, in violation of federal law. Nieto also admitted that Vazquez had provided him with illegal items, including a machinegun conversion device.
Vazquez previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic firearms and was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.