Two men convicted of first-degree murder in the killing of a Border Patrol agent whose death brought to light a bungled federal gun-tracking operation received life sentences Wednesday in federal court.
Jesus Leonel Sanchez-Meza and Ivan Soto-Barraza received mandatory life sentence s. They were convicted in October.
The December 2010 killing of Brian Terry exposed the Fast and Furious operation in which federal agents allowed criminals to buy guns with the intention of tracking them. But the agency lost most of the guns, including two that were found at scene of Terry's death.
Authorities say Sanchez-Meza and Soto-Barraza were members of a rip-crew that planned on robbing drug smugglers. Instead, they encountered border agents and engaged in a shootout.
Two rip-crew members remain fugitives. Another has pleaded guilty.
