Belize Man Sentenced to Eighteen Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry and Illegal Possession of a Gun

On February 28, 2020, in the United States District Court in Sioux City, Iowa, an illegal alien with numerous prior deportations, found in the United States illegally and in possession of a loaded handgun and false identification documents, was sentenced to eighteen years in federal prison.

Moses Anthon Francisco, age 53, from the country of Belize, received the prison term after pleading guilty on August 21, 2019, to a one-count indictment charging him with illegal re-entry as a felon.  On August 29, 2019, Francisco also pled guilty to a one-count indictment charging him with unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon and illegal alien.  Francisco also admitted violating his supervised release by committing these new criminal offenses while on supervised release for illegal reentry in the Northern District of Illinois. 

At the guilty plea hearings and the sentencing, Francisco admitted and evidence was presented that on June 11, 2019, at approximately 12:20 p.m., the Steele County, Minnesota Sheriff’s Office dispatch received reports from drivers on Interstate Highway 35.  Those motorists reported that Francisco had been driving erratically and had pointed a silver handgun at another motorist.  Law enforcement agents in Minnesota tried to stop Francisco’s car, but he would not pull over.  Instead, he sped south on Interstate 35, reaching speeds close to 100 miles per hour.  Eventually, Francisco crossed from Minnesota into Iowa, where law enforcement stopped him with the assistance of snowplows blocking the road.  After a standoff with police where Francisco refused to get out of his car, law enforcement was able to take him into custody.

Law enforcement found a loaded pistol and a number of passports in the car.  Francisco also had additional identification documents on his person.       

Francisco was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Francisco was sentenced to 216 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Francisco is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and investigated by the Iowa Department of Transportation, the Iowa State Patrol, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Worth County Sheriff’s Office, the Mason City Police Department, the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office, the Steele County, MN, Sheriff’s Office, the Rice County, MN, Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  PSN 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.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file numbers are 19-CR-03027, 19-CR-03039, and 19-CR-04044.

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