Office of the United States Attorney
Western District of Louisiana

DONALD W. WASHINGTON
United States Attorney

ILLEGAL ALIEN PLEADS GUILTY TO POSSESSION
OF FIREARM & A FALSE IMMIGRATION DOCUMENT

Lake Charles, Louisiana . . . JUAN CARLOS MAYEN-MORALES, age 39, from Mexico, pleaded guilty yesterday before United States District Judge Patricia Minaldi to a Bill of Information charging him with (1) possession of a firearm/ammunition by an illegal alien and (2) possession of a false immigration document, announced United States Attorney Donald W. Washington.

According to a factual stipulation filed into the court records, MAYEN-MORALES was stopped by officers from the Iowa Police Department (Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana) in October 2003 for a traffic violation. As a result of the traffic stop, officers found that MAYEN-MORALES was in possession of a 9 mm pistol as well as 50 rounds of ammunition specified for Law Enforcement Use Only. MAYEN-MORALES is a citizen of El Salvador and has been deported from the United States on one previous occasion. He came back into the United States and requested political asylum. After making his request for political asylum, he was protected from being deported to his home country until his asylum request is heard. However, MAYEN-MORALES is classified as an alien illegally in the United States and as such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.

Among the numerous immigration and identification documents in teh defendant's possession was an immigration Alien Resident Card in the name of Jose Ramirez, which had been falsely made and which the defendant had used to obtain work as a security guard in California. It is against the provisions of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922 (g)(5)(a) and 924 (a)(2) for an alien illegally or unlawfully int he United States to possess a firearm and/or ammunition; and it is against the provisions of 18 U.S.C. § 1546 (a) for anyone to possess a false immigration document. In addition, 18 U.S.C. § 924 (d)(1) provides for the forfeiture of firearms and/or ammunition in matters such as this case.

An agent with Border Patrol arrived on the scene and determined that MAYEN-MORALES was a citizen of El Salvador and had been deported once before from the United States.

This case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide program begun in 2001, and designed to reduce violence in our communities by aggressively using existing federal firearms laws. United States Attorneys, District Attorneys, Sheriffs, Police Chiefs, and state officials have created partnerships to address crimes involving firearms. Generally, any arrest involving a firearm is reviewed immediately by local, state and federal authorities to decide whether the case is best suited for prosecution under state or federal law, or a combination of both.

Project Safe Neighborhoods is expected to lead to longer prison terms for violent criminals, and a significant reduction in violent crime. To date, federal prosecutions under Project Safe Neighborhoods in the Western District of Louisiana have led to the incarceration of criminals responsible for violent crimes such as homicides, aggravated assaults, robbery, car jacking, burglary, and drug trafficking.

Sentencing will be scheduled for a later date to be determined by the Court. MAYEN-MORALES may be sentenced to a maximum term of 10 years imprisonment, a maximum fine of $250,000 and a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years following confinement on each count.

Sentencing in federal court is governed by the United States Sentencing Guidelines established by the United States Congress and the United States Sentencing Commission. Parole has been abolished in the federal system.

This investigation was conducted by the Iowa Police Department, U. S. Border Patrol, and Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Larry Regan.

For further information, please contact United States Attorney Donald W. Washington at 337-262-6618 or First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Flanagan at 318-676-3600.

This and other press releases issued by the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana can be found at our website at www.usdoj.gov/usao/law.