A Guatemalan national, Edilberto Gonzalez-Barrera, was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 14 for illegal possession of a firearm by an illegal alien and for entering the United States without proper admission, according to an announcement released on April 15.
The indictment alleges that Gonzalez-Barrera, age 40, entered the country illegally and possessed a Sig-Sauer P365X, 9mm firearm. Under federal law, the charge of possessing a firearm as an illegal alien carries a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison without parole. The charge of illegal entry can result in up to six months imprisonment. These statutory sentences are determined by Congress and provided for informational purposes.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney is prosecuting the case following investigations conducted by Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement Removal Operations and the Carthage Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasized that “the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.”
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America, described as “a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.”
The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri handles federal prosecutions across 66 counties stretching from Iowa to Arkansas borders and collaborates with various law enforcement partners according to its official website. The office also supports community outreach programs addressing violent crime and drug trafficking according to its official website.
The Western District’s offices are located in Kansas City, Jefferson City, and Springfield according to its official website, serving as part of its affiliation with the U.S. Department of Justice according to its official website.
