Arizona man accused of smuggling firearms in Riverside County faces 45 felony charges

An Arizona man received 45 felony charges today after his arrest on suspicion of illegally smuggling firearms and ammunition across a state border.

Phoenix resident Alexis Ayala Molina, 22, pleaded not guilty to 29 counts of assault weapon possession, 15 counts of removing or altering firearm identification marks and an additional count of manufacturing or transporting an assault weapon during his arraignment Friday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, according to court records.   

U.S. Border Patrol agents stopped a vehicle traveling westbound Monday near Chiriaco Summit due to the vehicle's "suspicious and unsafe" actions, according to Riverside County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Cameron James.   

During the stop, agents allegedly discovered a cache of 29 illegal firearms, including 27 assault rifles, a bolt-action rifle and a semiautomatic pistol with miscellaneous ammunition. Fifteen of the weapons had obliterated serial numbers, James said.

The agents identified the driver as Ayala Molina, arresting him and determining that the weapons were being smuggled from Tempe, Arizona into California, authorities said.

Ayala Molina was booked into the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio and held on $55,000 bail.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about the incident was encouraged to contact Gang Task Force Officer Martinez at 760-836-1600.