Grand jury indicts Mexican national for firearms, drug crimes

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Mexican national who opened fire in a local taco restaurant parking lot was indicted by a federal grand jury. 

Abel Velasquez-Avecedo, 29, was charged with illegally possessing a firearm as an illegal alien and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine.

According to charging documents, on April 11, Velasquez-Avecedo and another individual allegedly had an argument at Taco Nice restaurant in Columbus. It is alleged that the defendant fired multiple shots from a vehicle while driving near the restaurant.

Local law enforcement authorities found Velasquez-Avecedo to be in possession of a pistol and 30 to 40 small baggies of narcotics.

The defendant has prior convictions including assault and operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Possessing a firearm as an illegal alien is a federal crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison.

Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; announced the indictment returned on June 17. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Geraghty is representing the United States in this case.

An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Southern District of Ohio Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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