Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced the sentencing of 32-year-old Honduran national Daniel Ignacio Mejia-Castillo, following his guilty plea for the crime of illegal firearm possession, according to an official statement from the Department of Justice. Mejia-Castillo, referred to as "MEJIA" in court documents, received 144 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown under Title 18 of the United States Code, Sections 922(g)(5)(A) and 924(a)(2).
The charge stemmed from an incident on February 8, 2022, when MEJIA was apprehended by New Orleans Police Department officers after an armed robbery at El Milagro Church parking lot. During their search in the vicinity, they found MEJIA hiding in overgrown grass at the 2500 block of St. Louis Street and discovered he was in possession of a firearm; the Kel-Tec Model PF-9, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol was later linked to the crime scene. "Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of the Inspector General - Social Security Administration and, the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter," as stated in the Justice Department's report.
Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit is reported to have overseen the prosecution. The case showcases the government's ongoing effort to address violent crime, particularly gun-related offenses in urban neighborhoods. The coordinated approach by law enforcement signifies a broader strategic commitment to making communities safer for all residents, in line with the philosophy behind the PSN's enhanced violent crime reduction strategy, launched on May 26, 2021.
