Federal officials in Memphis have sentenced an illegal alien to 30 months in prison for unlawful reentry into the United States and for illegally possessing a firearm.
This, according to a press release that Joseph C. Murphy Jr. the acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, published this week.
The illegal alien, Cecilio Gonzalez-Espino, is 31-years-old, the press release said.
“According to information presented in court, on August 11, 2020, in Memphis, agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement located the defendant with a loaded firearm in his vehicle. On August 20, 2020 Gonzalez-Espino was indicted for being an alien in possession of a firearm and illegally reentering the United States after removal,” the press release said.
“Gonzalez-Espino is a convicted felon, having previously been convicted of multiple felony methamphetamine charges in 2011 in California. As a result of his prior conviction and alien status, he is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.”
There is no parole in the federal system. Gonzalez-Espino also faces deportation after completion of his sentence of confinement, according to the press release.
A similar case occurred in west Tennessee less than a year ago.
Federal officials in Memphis sentenced an illegal alien to 60 months in federal prison last fall for one count of possessing a firearm as an illegal alien and one count of illegally re-entering the United States. That man, Argel Hernandez-Escobar, 33, last resided in Memphis.
“Memphis Police officers responded to a 911 call from a woman who said her son had been accidentally shot by the son’s father (later identified as Mr. Hernandez-Escobar) at their residence in Memphis, Tennessee,” according to federal officials at the time.
“Responding officers found Hernandez-Escobar on the front porch with a gunshot wound to his leg. Officers also found a 3-year-old male victim on the porch with a gunshot wound to his chest. A Mini Draco 7.62X39mm caliber pistol and a high capacity magazine were located near the front porch. Officers determined that Hernandez-Escobar had accidentally shot himself in the leg and the bullet struck his 3-year-old son who was playing nearby.”
The child later succumbed to his injuries. Hernandez-Escobar later gave a statement and admitted to possessing the Draco firearm with a 30 round clip on his lap and stated it accidentally went off, hitting himself in the leg and also striking his son. He stated the reason he had his firearm outside on his porch was because he was concerned about some unknown individual walking up and down in front of his house. The press release quoted a witness as saying Hernandez-Escobar drank alcohol prior to the shooting.
Further investigation revealed Hernandez-Escobar was a citizen of Mexico, and he did not have lawful status to be or remain in the United States.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
30 months?!! The guy is a repeat offender of both criminal and civil law. He should be locked up forever.
That is crazy! He should be let go immediately and given an EBT card and a voter registration card.
Yes, this is xenophobic! “It’s not who we are.” So let “the equal protection of the laws” of the 14th Amendment (one of two which once ended slavery) be set aside for preferential non-enforcement and discriminate against vilified citizens.
“And now, a rise in political extremism, white supremacy, domestic terrorism that we must confront and we will defeat.” –Joe Biden, Jan 20, 2021
He already has those.