Omaha Man Sentenced to 85 Months for Felon in Possession

Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Federico Cortez, 35, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.  Cortez had multiple prior felony convictions out of the State California for gang activity and one for felon in possession of ammunition.  United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Cortez to a term of 85 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release.  There is no parole in the federal system. 

Between July 7, 2022 and July 8, 2022, Cortez sold weapons that were stolen from a burglary of a firearms store, Frontier Justice gun club, to an undercover informant working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”).  After Cortez sold the stolen weapons, ATF searched his residence where they recovered another stolen firearm.  Cortez argued for a lower sentence, but Judge Buescher found the circumstances of the crime deserved a lengthier sentence and ordered Cortez be immediately remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.