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Press Release

Two Fresno Men Charged With Being Felons In Possession Of A Firearm

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of California

FRESNO, Calif. — Today, a federal grand jury in Fresno indicted two defendants in separate cases with being felons in possession of a firearm, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.

The cases were brought as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) federal initiative. PSN brings together federal, state and local law enforcement to combat gun and gang crime. At the core of PSN is increased federal prosecution to incapacitate chronic violent offenders as well as to communicate a credible deterrent threat to potential gun offenders.

According to the first indictment, police officers conducted a probation search of an apartment in Fresno where Alan Anthonee Amey, 23, was residing after receiving a report that Amey had two guns and was threating to shoot the reporting party. Officers found a loaded Glock 23 .40‑caliber semi-automatic handgun and a loaded Ruger P95 9mm handgun. Amey is prohibited from possessing a firearm after being convicted in Fresno County of domestic violence in 2010 and 2011. Assistant United States Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.

The second indictment alleges that on December 6, 2014, Ernie Michael Rodriguez, 39, of Fresno, was stopped by officers when he failed to stop at a stop sign. Officers searched the vehicle and found an AA Arms, model AP9, 9mm firearm. The firearm had a high capacity magazine that contained 26 rounds of live ammunition. The vehicle had been reported stolen the previous day. Rodriguez is prohibited from possessing a firearm. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, the defendants face 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 against defendants are only allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

These cases are the product of investigations by the Fresno Police Department.
Updated April 8, 2015