A Honduran man, Carlos Alberto Diaz-Chavez, 21, faces multiple firearms and drug charges after being arrested by Williamson County Sheriff’s officers in Tennessee, according to a press release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee. Diaz-Chavez, who entered the United States illegally in 2019, has been charged with possession of firearms as an alien, possession of a machinegun, intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Acting U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire conveyed the government's stern stance on illegal firearm possession and drug trafficking, asserting, "We will not hesitate to keep our community safe from those who would illegally possess dangerous firearms, deal deadly narcotics, and who put our first responders at risk by their actions." The seriousness of these statements highlights the combined efforts of the WCSO, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department in tackling such issues. On February 17, a WCSO deputy attempted to stop Diaz-Chavez's vehicle for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle, which resulted in a pursuit where spike strips were deployed on Interstate 65 that caused the suspect's vehicle to crash after its tires were disabled.
Following his arrest, Diaz-Chavez was found with a loaded Palmetto State Armory, Model: PA-15, considered a machinegun, and quantities of methamphetamine intended for sale. He reportedly confessed during a post-Miranda interview to using the firearms for protection while dealing narcotics in the Nashville area and acknowledged his awareness of the PA-15's firepower. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years for the alien with a firearm count, 10 years for the machinegun count, 20 years for drug possession with intent to distribute, and a mandatory minimum of five years consecutive on the firearms charge in furtherance of drug trafficking.
This case falls under "Operation Take Back America," a sweeping Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels, and safeguarding American communities from violent criminals.
