Local Man Gets Five Years for Possessing Firearms

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 24-year-old resident of Corpus Christi has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for being a felon in possession of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson along with Robert W. Elder, special agent in charge of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Michael Tovar pleaded guilty June 4, 2015.

Today, Senior U.S. District Judge Hayden Head sentenced Tovar to 60 months imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release.

Through the investigation, ATF agents discovered Tovar, who had a previous felony conviction, was attempting to sell and trade firearms over the Internet. When agents executed a federal search warrant at Tovar’s residence, they seized eight firearms, including several semi-automatic assault style rifles, semi-automatic pistols, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and a ballistic vest.

In federal custody since his arrest, Tovar will remain in custody and serve his sentence at a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be designated in the near future.

The charge was the result of an investigation conducted by ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Watt prosecuted the case.