Armed Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Firearm Possession

RICHMOND, Va. – An illegal alien residing in Richmond pleaded guilty today to possessing a firearm illegally in the United States.

“Perez-Agustin is in the United States illegally and was caught carrying a firearm,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This criminal activity reflects a blatant disregard for our nation’s laws and represents a threat to public safety. The Department of Justice is committed to prioritizing criminal immigration enforcement, and this case reflects that continuing commitment.”

According to court documents, Manuel Dejesus Perez-Agustin, 39, had previously illegally entered the United States, been removed at taxpayer expense in January 2011, and then illegally reentered the United States again.

“This individual has no regard for our nation’s laws,” said Lyle A. Boelens, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C. “Not only did he re-enter the country after deportation, he was arrested in possession of a firearm, making him a threat to public safety. We will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to keep our communities safe through enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws.”

In this instance, Perez-Agustin was charged with illegal reentry into the United Sates after removal and also illegal possession of a firearm.

Perez-Agustin pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm while being illegally in the United States and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on July 31. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. 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.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Lyle A. Boelens, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney S. David Schiller is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-26.