United States Attorney John M. Bales
Eastern District of Texas

MEXICAN NATIONAL SENTENCED FOR FIREARMS VIOLATION IN EAST TEXAS

            MARSHALL, TX – U.S. Attorney John M. Bales announced today that a Mexican National illegally living in the United States has been sentenced to federal prison for firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas. 

            JUAN SOLIS-GUTIERREZ, 38, of Marshall, Texas, pleaded guilty on Sep. 10, 2009, to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge T. John Ward.

            According to information presented in court, on July 16, 2008, law enforcement officers arrested Solis-Gutierrez for theft of a riding lawn mower.  While searching the defendant's truck, deputies found a loaded 9 mm semi-automatic pistol and an additional magazine.  Following the arrest, it was determined that Solis-Gutierrez was a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States, and thereby prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm.  A federal indictment was returned by the grand jury on June 3, 2009 charging Solis-Gutierrez with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.

            This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Harrison County Sheriff's Office, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allen H. Hurst and Denise O. Simpson.

####

back to top