A Los Lunas man, Gabriel Roger Benavidez, has been sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for illegally possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. This sentence follows a domestic incident in Albuquerque where Benavidez fired multiple rounds at his girlfriend's car.
On July 21, 2023, Benavidez was involved in an altercation with his girlfriend in an apartment complex parking lot. He used a 9mm pistol to shoot at the engine block of her vehicle. Responding to a ShotSpotter notification, Albuquerque Police Department officers arrived at the scene. Benavidez fled on foot, leaving behind his outer clothing and a loaded pistol in a bush. The officers recovered the firearm with 11 rounds and found an additional 18 rounds of ammunition.
Law enforcement used a drone to locate Benavidez after he entered a stranger's apartment. Another firearm belonging to him, a .45 caliber pistol, was found discarded in a trash bin.
The investigation revealed that Benavidez was aware of his status as a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Upon release from prison, he will face two years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman announced the sentencing. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with help from the Albuquerque Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Haynes prosecuted under an agreement with the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
This agreement allows Assistant District Attorneys to serve as Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) who screen felony complaints for federal charges prioritizing violence-related offenses in Albuquerque. Since its inception in 2020, over 300 criminal cases have been charged through this program after reviewing nearly 3,000 cases.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also collaborates similarly with other state entities like the New Mexico Department of Justice and plans further expansion statewide.