Felon in Possession Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Antonio Maldonado, 28, of Corpus Christi, has been handed a 15-year sentence for his conviction of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today along with Melvin King Jr., special agent in charge of the ATF. Maldonado entered a plea of guilty on Monday, May 21, 2012.
Today, Senior U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey sentenced Maldonado to a total of 180 months in federal prison to be followed by a five-year-term of supervised release.
At the plea hearing, Maldonado admitted that on Nov. 29, 2011, he possessed a .40 caliber pistol loaded with six rounds of ammunition. On that day, two citizens heard shots outside their Corpus Christi residences in the early morning hours and Corpus Christi police officers responded. One citizen reported seeing a vehicle in the area and provided a description of the driver who was wearing blue gloves. Officers located a vehicle matching the description. Maldonado was seated in the driver's seat and officers found a pair of blue latex gloves in the vehicle as well as a .40 caliber pistol in the center console. Maldonado had two prior convictions for evading arrest and one prior conviction for possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine.
Maldonado has been in custody since his arrest on Nov. 29, 2011, where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
This case was investigated by the ATF and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sam Brown IV.
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