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Jury Selection To Begin For Agent Killed During Fast And Furious Gun Sting

Jury selection begins Tuesday for two suspects in the 2010 killing of a U.S. Border Patrol agent.

Agent Brian Terry was killed during the Fast and Furious gun buying operation.

Federal agents conducting the operation allowed criminals to buy guns with the intention of tracking them, but lost most of them. Two of those guns were at the scene of Terry's killing. That death exposed a botched federal gun sting.

The defendants were members of a "rip-off" crew that planned on robbing marijuana smugglers in the Arizona desert when they encountered agents patrolling the area on December 14, 2010. A gunfight ensued, and Terry was killed. Jesus Leonel Sanchez-Meza, also known as Lionel Portillo-Meza, and Ivan Soto-Barraza face charges including murder.

Al Macias, former KJZZ news director, retired as KJZZ's news director in 2022. He rejoined the station as a features reporter in 2023 and also as a part-time editor in 2024.