A Houston man with a history of felony convictions has entered a guilty plea for a series of armed robberies carried out last year. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, 28-year-old Josue Castro-Gomez admitted to robbing two gas stations and a smoke shop at gunpoint between November and December of 2023.
Diving into the details of his crimes, Castro-Gomez first targeted a Korner Food Mart on Nov. 25, 2023, where he discharged his weapon but left empty-handed. He later hit a Circle K gas station and a Vape City in early December, successfully making off with cash from both locations. A .32 caliber handgun, which was linked to a spent shell casing at the scene of the November robbery, was found in his possession upon his arrest on Dec. 12.
Castro-Gomez's admission comes with significant consequences. He is looking at up to 20 years in federal prison for each of the two counts of robbery, along with an additional seven years for brandishing a firearm during a violent crime, as outlined by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. These sentences are to be served consecutively, meaning the time adds up. The man's prior convictions, in 2015 for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and in 2017 for possession of a controlled substance, forbade him from possessing firearms, adding yet another layer of illegality to his recent actions.
The investigative trail leading to Castro-Gomez’s arrest was a collaboration between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and local law enforcement. The ATF's National Integrated Ballistic Information Network played a critical role in linking the firearm found with Castro-Gomez to the crimes. Identified as the nexus of these criminal acts, Castro-Gomez remains in custody pending his sentencing scheduled for Dec. 11. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco J. Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.
