Illegal alien from Mexico sentenced to 18 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm in Bernice, La

MONROE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a Mexican national was sentenced Tuesday to 18 months in prison for being an illegal alien in possession of a rifle.

Gerardo C. Rodriguez, 53, of Samluispotosi, Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. On December 11, 2016 around midnight, Union Parish Sheriff’s deputies responded to a disturbing-the-peace call at an apartment complex in Bernice, Louisiana. Deputies found Rodriguez intoxicated and passed out in his car with the keys in the ignition.  They arrested Rodriguez and towed his vehicle. While in the back of the deputies’ car, Rodriguez tried to kick out the windows and also tried to kick the deputies multiple times when they opened the doors to get him out. At the detention center, deputies noticed a gunshot wound to his thigh and sent him to the hospital for treatment. The next day, Rodriguez told deputies he shot himself accidentally with a .22 caliber pistol while drunk. He also told deputies he owned a rifle seized from his vehicle the day before. Rodriguez admitted to re-entering the United States illegally and possessing the rifle as a convicted felon. Rodriguez was previously convicted of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm in 2004, after which Rodriguez was removed to Mexico.

Homeland Security Investigations, ATF and Union Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike O’Mara prosecuted the case.