A Corpus Christi man has been dealt an 87-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani announced, Adalberto Pena, a 31-year-old previously convicted felon, will also face three years of supervised release following his time behind bars.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Pena's history with firearms stretches back to four incidents in the 14 months preceding his latest arrest including the discovery of 10 firearms, one of which was a silencer and then Pena was stopped by law enforcement back in December when they noticed his vehicle lacked license plate lights, this led to a traffic stop that unearthed 9mm and .223 caliber ammunition along with a Taurus handgun equipped with a loaded magazine stowed in the glove compartment.
District Judge David S. Morales cast the sentence following Pena's earlier mid-year admission of guilt, the felon has a rap sheet dating back to a 2011 cocaine possession charge, which under federal law, strips him of the right to possess firearms or ammunition.
Pena's bust is part of a larger crackdown known as Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program revitalized by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland aiming to hammer down on violent crime, particularly gun violence; the comprehensive strategy leans on community trust-building, violence prevention through aiding community organizations, strategic enforcement focus and diligent result measuring all for the goal of curbing the violent crime wave not just padding arrest numbers.
The joint investigations leading to Pena's imprisonment involved the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Corpus Christi Police Department with Assistant U.S. Attorney Liesel Roscher prosecuting the case; Pena currently waits in custody for his transfer to a federal prison, his future residence as yet undetermined.
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