FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
AUGUST 14, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MS-13 MEMBER PLEADS GUILTY TO BEING AN ILLEGAL ALIEN IN POSSESSION OF AMMUNITION
Federal Authorities in Maryland Pledge to Enforce Law Barring Undocumented Aliens from Possessing Firearms
Greenbelt, Maryland - Carlos Lopez-Guerra, also known as “Vampi,” age 21, of Hyattsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to being an illegal alien in possession of ammunition, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.
“It is a federal crime for an illegal alien to possess any gun or ammunition, under the Gun Control Act of 1968,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Any illegal alien who carries a gun or ammunition in Maryland is subject to federal criminal prosecution.”
According to the plea agreement presented to the court, on November 30, 2005, agents of the Regional Area Gang Enforcement Task Force (“RAGE”) searched a residence located in Hyattsville to recover evidence of an assault involving members of the violent street gang MS-13. Officers learned that Lopez-Guerra, a known MS-13 gang member, resided in a basement room at that location. During the search of Lopez-Guerra's room, officers discovered nine rounds of .38 caliber Remington ammunition in a closet, stored along with Lopez-Guerra's personal documents and MS-13 drawings.
Lopez-Guerra faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams, Jr. has scheduled sentencing for October 31, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the members of the RAGE Task Force, headed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their investigative work. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacy Dawson Belf, who is prosecuting the case.