Alien Charged With Illegal Possession of Firearm and False Identity Documents

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Chanel Garcia-Enrique, 36, of Utica, New York, was indicted on four federal criminal violations: (1) felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition; (2) alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition; (3) making false statements; and (4) possession of false identification documents, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian. The charges involving firearms and ammunition filed against Garcia-Enrique carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years following release from incarceration The defendant faces up to fifteen years for the charge of possessing false identification documents and five years for making false statements. Fines of up to $250,000 could be levied on each charge. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

A federal criminal complaint alleged that Garcia-Enrique was arrested on April 5, 2016 in Utica, New York after the execution of a search warrant at his residence by members of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Syracuse Task Force and the Oneida County Drug Task Force. According to the complaint, Garcia-Enrique was found in his bedroom with a loaded 20 gauge shotgun.

The criminal complaint alleged that Garcia-Enrique is a citizen of the Dominican Republic who illegally entered the United States in 1996 and lived under an alias since that time. The complaint further alleges that using the alias, Garcia-Enrique was arrested on October 23, 1998 in Oneida County, New York and thereafter convicted and sentenced for criminal sale of a controlled substance in the 5th degree – all while under the alias.

Garcia-Enrique was arrested on the federal criminal complaint and made his initial appearance on April 6, 2016 in Syracuse, New York, before United States Magistrate Judge Andrew T. Baxter. After holding a detention hearing on April 8, 2016, Judge Baxter ordered the defendant held without bail.

This case is being investigated by the DEA, Oneida and Onondaga County District Attorney’s Offices, the Oneida County Drug Task Force, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Border Patrol, the New York State Police, Oneida and Onondaga County Sheriff’s Offices, the Rome Police Department, and the Utica Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl G. Eurenius and Oneida County Assistant District Attorney Grant Garramone.