NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

BRADLEY J. SCHLOZMAN

Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106

www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/index.html

FEBRUARY 28, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEXICAN NATIONAL INDICTED FOR NARCOTICS,

FIREARM, IMMIGRATION VIOLATIONS

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Bradley J. Schlozman, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Mexican national was indicted by a federal grand jury today for narcotics, firearm and immigration violations.

Juan Gomez-Contreras, 41, a citizen of Mexico residing in Kansas City, Mo., was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City.

Count One of the federal indictment alleges that Gomez-Contreras was in possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on Jan. 28, 2007.

Count Two of the federal indictment alleges that Gomez-Contreras, an illegal alien, was in possession of a Norinco 9 mm semi-automatic pistol on Jan. 28, 2007.

Count Three of the federal indictment alleges that Gomez-Contreras, who had previously been deported from the United States on July 23, 2004, illegally reentered the country and was found in the United States on Jan. 28, 2007.

Schlozman cautioned 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 case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

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