Shreveport, La. – A federal jury convicted Jose Ismael Ramirez-Gonzalez, a 37-year-old Mexican national, of illegal possession of a firearm and illegal re-entry into the United States. The trial took place in Shreveport, presided over by United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote. It took the jury less than an hour to deliver the guilty verdict.
On August 4, 2024, Shreveport police responded to a 911 call concerning an armed individual in the city's downtown area. Ramirez-Gonzalez, who was identified as the suspect, was intoxicated and reportedly pointed a loaded Ruger pistol at a woman amid a parking dispute. Police subsequently arrested him for driving under the influence and lacking a driver's license.
Evidence revealed that Ramirez-Gonzalez, a Mexican citizen, had previously been deported from the United States six times between 2008 and 2018. "The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to make our communities safe for all of our citizens," stated Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. "This conviction should send a clear message that anyone in the United States illegally who chooses to violate our laws will be prosecuted to the maximum extent."
If convicted on all charges, Ramirez-Gonzalez faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the firearms conviction, in addition to up to two years for illegal re-entry. "Getting guns out of the hands of criminals is an essential element of the fight against violent crime and securing our neighborhoods," commented ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. "The sentence imposed today sends a message to the community that illegal aliens possessing firearms will be held accountable as we work to keep our neighborhoods safe as a top priority to ensure public safety for ATF."
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Enforcement & Removal Operations), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Shreveport Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Cheyenne Y. Wilson and Allison L. Duncan prosecuted the case.