Jesus Rene Villa, a resident of Tucson, was sentenced to 36 months in prison on March 25, 2025, by United States District Judge Raner C. Collins. Villa, aged 31, had earlier pleaded guilty to the charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on January 8, 2025.
The case stemmed from a March 1, 2024, incident when Villa was arrested by Tucson Police Department officers after previously fleeing from law enforcement. A search of his vehicle revealed a loaded firearm inside a black duffel bag on the back seat. Investigations confirmed that Villa was a convicted felon with four prior convictions. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) took over the case in partnership with the Tucson Police Department, operating within the framework of the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP).
The PSP was set up by the U.S. Department of Justice to enhance federal support for state, local, and tribal law enforcement. Initially launched in 2014 as a pilot program called the Violence Reduction Network, the PSP focuses on interagency coordination, leveraging law enforcement expertise alongside prosecutorial resources to improve public safety across communities. Since its inception, the program has collaborated with more than 60 sites, offering data-driven and evidence-based strategies tailored to the particular needs of participating jurisdictions.
The ATF and Tucson Police Department were integral in conducting the investigation for this case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Allen from the District of Arizona, Tucson.
This case was filed under the case number CR-24-01319-TUC-RCC, with the release number 2025-049_Villa. For more details about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit their official website.