Arvina 13 Gang Member Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment Thursday against Isaac Rodriguez, 26, of Arvin, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Rodriguez was found to be in possession of a firearm after he was arrested on warrants for violations of probation. Rodriguez cannot legally possess firearms because he has been previously convicted of several felony offenses, including taking a vehicle, evading arrest, and being felon in possession of a firearm.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the Kern County District Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke Baty is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Rodriguez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).