Guatemalan National Sentenced To Federal Prison For Illegal Possession Of A Firearm

Ocala, Florida - United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Juan Dionicio Romero-Mendez (23, Guatemala) to 18 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by an alien illegally and unlawfully present in the United States. Romero-Mendez entered a guilty plea on June 10, 2024.

According to court documents, Romero-Mendez is a citizen of Guatemala. In January 2024, he was involved in a traffic collision in Marion County. During the subsequent investigation of the traffic collision, Romero-Mendez was found to be in possession of a Chiappa Firearms pistol. As Romero-Mendez is not legally or lawfully in the United States, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosives, and the Marion County Sheriff's Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.