Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Firearms Laws

ALBUQUERQUE – Marquis Pounds, 28, of Albuquerque, N.M., pleaded guilty today in federal court to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.  Under the terms of the plea agreement, Pounds will be sentenced within the range of seven to eight years in federal prison.

Pounds was arrested in June 2015, on a criminal complaint alleging that he unlawfully possessed a firearm and ammunition on June 5, 2015, in Bernalillo County, N.M.  According to the criminal complaint, law enforcement officers executed search warrants on Pounds’ residence in northeast Albuquerque and seized a revolver and ammunition.  Subsequent investigation revealed that revolver and ammunition had been reported stolen from a pawn shop in Los Lunas, N.M.  Pounds was subsequently indicted on July 14, 2015, on the same charge.

According to court documents, Pounds was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he previously had been convicted of receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle, tampering with evidence, possession of narcotics with intent to distribute, conspiracy to possess narcotics with intent to distribute, and embezzlement.

During today’s hearing, Pounds pled guilty to the indictment and admitted that on June 5, 2015, he possessed a firearm despite the fact that he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of his status as a convicted felon.  Pounds remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Albuquerque Police Department and the Los Lunas Police Department with assistance from the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Presiliano A. Torrez is prosecuting the case as part of the federal “worst of the worst” anti-violence initiative.  Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders primarily based on their prior felony convictions for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.  Because New Mexico’s violent crime rates, on a per capita basis, are amongst the highest in the nation, New Mexico’s law enforcement community is collaborating to target repeat offenders from counties with the highest violent crime rates, including Bernalillo County, under this initiative.