Fresno Felon Charged with Two Counts of Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Jesus Lepe, 44, of Fresno, charging him with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Sept. 16, 2020, Lepe nearly caused a vehicle collision after running a red light. After a traffic stop, Lepe was found in possession of a stolen firearm. On Aug. 18, 2021, Lepe was stopped for speeding and once again found in possession of a stolen firearm. Lepe is prohibited from possessing firearms because of multiple felony convictions from 1996 that include robbery, possession of heroin, and other firearms violations.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Lepe faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 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 was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.