Madera County Arrest Leads to 2-Year Prison Sentence for Alien in Possession of Firearm

FRESNO, Calif. — Antonio Soria-Arellano (Soria), 44, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today to two years in prison for being an alien in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on February 23, 2017, Soria, an alien, was in possession of a Remington 870 Express, 12-gauge shotgun. According to the criminal complaint, law enforcement officers found Soria at an indoor marijuana cultivation operation in a residence in Madera County. Soria was the sole occupant of the residence and was in possession of the loaded shotgun and ammunition. On April 17, 2017, Soria pleaded guilty to being an alien in possession of a firearm.

This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Madera County Sheriff’s Office, and the Merced County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar prosecuted the case.