On May 27, Jhosmy Josue Perez-Alvarez, a 24-year-old Honduran national, pleaded guilty to the charge of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey, according to an announcement from Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
Court documents indicate that on January 2, Perez-Alvarez was found to have a Glock nine-millimeter handgun. His admission during the legal proceedings confirmed that he was unlawfully present in the United States when he was arrested with the firearm. Due to his status, Perez-Alvarez was not legally allowed to possess any firearms. To quickly resolve the case, he chose to freely plead guilty, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The crime that Perez-Alvarez has admitted to carries a serious potential penalty, which could see him facing a maximum of 15 years of imprisonment, as much as a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release following any prison time. Additionally, there's a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. His sentencing is currently set for August 26.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson recognized the collaborative efforts of multiple agencies involved in the investigation, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of the Inspector General for the Social Security Administration, and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit led the prosecution. In a statement released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Simpson commended the coordinated work that contributed to the timely and effective resolution of the case.
