An illegal immigrant, Daniel Ignacio Mejia-Castillo, 32, Honduras, pleaded guilty on January 7, 2025, to charges of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, according to U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. The plea, entered before U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown, marks a critical step in a case tied to an armed robbery that occurred in February 2022.
Court records reveal that on February 8, 2022, an armed robbery occurred in the 4400 block of N. Dorgenois Street in New Orleans. Responding officers from the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) canvassed the area and discovered Mejia crouching in overgrown grass near the 2500 block of St. Louis Street.
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Mejia, an undocumented immigrant from Honduras, was found in possession of a Kel-Tec Model PF-9, a nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol. The firearm, manufactured by Kel-Tec CNC Industries, Inc. in Florida, led to his arrest.
Mejia faces significant penalties, including a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Sentencing is scheduled for April 10, 2025.
This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, a nationwide program designed to reduce violent crime and gun violence. PSN emphasizes community trust, strategic enforcement, and collaboration between law enforcement agencies to create safer neighborhoods.
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