Undocumented Individual Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug Charges

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – An undocumented individual pleaded guilty today to illegally possessing a firearm and drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Katrina Berger.

Juan Luis Salas-Jimenez, 19, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge R. David Proctor to charges of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

According to the plea agreement, in September 2021, officers with the Calera Police Department conducted a lawful traffic stop on Salas-Jimenez.  Salas-Jimenez admitted to officers that he had some personal use cocaine in his wallet.  Officers removed Salas-Jimenez from the vehicle and searched his wallet where they found two small baggies containing cocaine.  During the search of Salas-Jimenez’s vehicle, officers found a small baggie containing crack cocaine under the driver's side front seat, a grocery bag containing crack cocaine inside a backpack on the passenger's side back seat, a large scale, a small digital scale, a roll of vacuum sealed bags, and a Smith and Wesson revolver. 

The maximum penalty for possession with intent to distribute cocaine is 20 years in prison and a fine of no more than $250,000.  The maximum penalty for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person is 10 years in prison and a fine of not more than $250,000.  The minimum penalty for possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime is five years in prison, which must run consecutive to any other sentence, and a fine of no more than $10,000,000.

Homeland Security Investigations along with the Calera Police Department investigated the case.  Assistant United States Attorney Darius Greene is prosecuting the case.