Cape Girardeau Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Gun, Methamphetamine Crimes

CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Monday sentenced a previously-convicted felon who was caught with two stolen guns, two other guns and methamphetamine to 12 years in prison.

Daniel T. Aguilar, 39, of Cape Girardeau, pleaded guilty in September to four felonies: possession of stolen firearms, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms.

Aguilar admitted to breaking into a storage unit in Jackson, Missouri on Sept. 30, 2022, and stealing a Maverick 12-gauge shotgun and an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 pistol. The Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force learned on Jan. 10, 2023, that Aguilar had meth, a pistol and stolen property in his home. Detectives watched as Aguilar took license plates off his Toyota Scion and placed them on an SUV with expired plates. Aguilar then drove off in the SUV. The Missouri State Highway Patrol stopped the SUV and found 42 grams of meth inside. A court-approved search of Aguilar’s home and vehicle found 14 grams of meth hidden in a couch cushion, stolen property and bolt cutters in his bedroom and two handguns hidden in a speaker box in the trunk of his vehicle. The two stolen guns were recovered from his girlfriend’s house.

Aguilar has five prior felony convictions, including carjacking. He was on probation for state charges at the time of his federal offenses.

The Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force, the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Shelton prosecuted the case.