A Salvadoran national, Adalberto Rivas Machado, has pled guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm in Alexandria, Virginia. The incident took place on July 13, 2024, when law enforcement responded to reports of a man brandishing a handgun at Harmony Trailer Park. Officers found Rivas Machado matching the suspect's description.
Upon arrival, officers witnessed Rivas Machado flee but apprehended him after a brief pursuit. A pat-down revealed a loaded handgun with 9mm hollow point ammunition concealed in his sweatpants above his left ankle.
Rivas Machado was legally barred from possessing firearms under federal law due to his illegal entry into the United States and lack of legal status. An investigation by Homeland Security Investigations disclosed that he entered the U.S. as a juvenile in 2018 without authorization and faced deportation orders from an immigration judge in 2019.
Further disqualifying him from firearm possession was his addiction to drugs. He admitted to being addicted to fentanyl at the time of the offense, and officers recovered fentanyl during his arrest.
Scheduled for sentencing on May 22, Rivas Machado could face up to 15 years in prison; however, actual sentences often fall below maximum penalties. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The announcement followed U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles' acceptance of the plea by Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kai Wah Chan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Washington D.C.; and Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc J. Birnbaum is handling prosecution duties for this case which is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through community collaboration with law enforcement agencies across all levels.
Information related to this case can be accessed via the websites of both the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or through PACER by searching Case No. 1:24-cr-221.