Two individuals from Guatemala have been arrested in connection with a road rage incident in Waco. Anderson Morales-Calderon and Ever Morales-Calderon face charges related to the alleged possession of firearms as undocumented noncitizens, according to officials.

The confrontation that led to their arrest unfolded on January 24 when a 911 call described an individual brandishing a rifle at a semi-truck along IH-35. Police from the Troy Police Department and Lorena Police Department promptly intervened, conducting a traffic stop where they would immediately come to observe two air rifles and one .22 rifle inside the vehicle. The subsequent investigation confirmed that the Morales-Calderon brothers were unlawfully present in the United States, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Appearing in federal court in Austin on Tuesday, the two individuals now face up to 10 years in federal prison if convicted. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge, who will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines along with other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza confirmed that the charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The case has brought together multiple agencies, with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement working on the investigation, with assistance from initial responders from TPD and LPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Smith-Burris has been assigned to prosecute the case.

As the proceedings continue, the public is reminded that a criminal complaint is not an indication of guilt, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.