A 21-year-old man from Honduras, living illegally in Houston, has been sentenced to nearly 13 years in federal prison for his role in an armed robbery at a Family Dollar store. The announcement came from U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Carlos Gonzalez-Vargas admitted to discharging a firearm during a violent crime, with the guilty plea submitted on February 7. U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal ordered a 150-month sentence, noting that the mandatory minimum does not adequately reflect the seriousness of the actions. Gonzalez-Vargas, who is not a U.S. citizen, will face removal proceedings after his prison term.
The incident took place on January 16, 2023, when Gonzalez-Vargas entered the discount store accompanied by three others. He displayed a firearm and demanded cash. When the cashier hesitated, he shot her in the leg and then escaped with cash. The entire act was recorded by surveillance cameras, in which Gonzalez-Vargas was identifiable by his unique sneakers.
A month later, he used the same gun in a street altercation with a 13-year-old. Law enforcement apprehended him, and he was found wearing the same sneakers seen in the robbery footage.
Gonzalez-Vargas will remain in custody until his transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility is finalized. The investigation was carried out by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with support from the Houston Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Tallichet oversaw the prosecution. The case benefitted from leads generated through ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), an essential tool in linking firearms from different crime scenes to prevent violent crimes.
For more information about NIBIN, visit the ATF website.