A traffic stop in San Antonio has led to the arrest of a Mexican national for illegally possessing firearms, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Court documents revealed that Rene Garibay-Robledo was pulled over on February 25 and, during the stop, he produced a Mexico identification card and admitted to FBI agents and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers that he was in the country illegally. A subsequent search of his home uncovered three handguns, an automatic rifle, ammunition, and a small amount of cocaine.
Garibay-Robledo's interaction with law enforcement escalated when he mentioned having a pistol at his residence. The federal search warrant executed at his home resulted in the seizure of firearms and 450 rounds of mixed caliber ammunition, along with 6.8 grams of a substance confirmed to contain cocaine, as reported by the Justice Department. It was noted that Garibay-Robledo entered the U.S. on January 1, 1994 illegally, near Laredo, and had a previous theft conviction from 2000 in California.
The charges facing Garibay-Robledo could lead to a significant prison sentence. "Garibay-Robledo is charged with one count of illegal alien in possession of a firearm. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000," Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas said in a statement released by the Justice Department. The court will consider various statutory factors and U.S. Sentencing Guidelines to determine the final sentence.
Investigations by the FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO) are ongoing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Parsons is prosecuting the case. While Garibay-Robledo faces serious charges, the Acting U.S. Attorney emphasized that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
