Mexican national pleads guilty to illegally possessing a rifle, ammunition

ALEXANDRIA, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Mexican national pleaded guilty Tuesday to being an illegal alien in possession of a rifle and ammunition.

Juan Martin Frias-Ortiz, 54, of Mexico, pleaded guilty before Chief District Judge Dee. D. Drell to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began investigating Frias-Ortiz after receiving information that he was in the country illegally and had been shooting firearms on his property. Agents determined that Frias-Ortiz was a citizen of Mexico and in the United States illegally after his H-2A Visa expired in 2014.  During the execution of a search warrant on Frias-Ortiz’s Bunkie, La., home on August 3, 2017, agents found a Marlin Model 60 22LR rifle, a box of .22LR and 12-gauge shotgun ammunition.

Friaz-Ortiz faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. He also faces forfeiture of the weapons seized. The court set sentencing for January12, 2018.

The ATF, the Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike O’Mara is prosecuting the case.