Alexander Martinez-Quiroz, Unlawful Possession of Firearms, Illinois 2026
A notorious gang member in Chicago has been charged with unlawfully possessing two firearms, according to a federal indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
Alexander Martinez-Quiroz, 35, of Chicago, allegedly possessed a rifle and handgun from December 2025 to April 2026, despite being a previously convicted felon and thus legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
According to a criminal complaint filed in the case, Martinez-Quiroz fired three shots from the handgun on December 18, 2025, while standing in front of a Chicago building. The complaint states that while firing the shots, Martinez-Quiroz called out that he was a member of the street gang.
The defendant recorded himself firing the shots, and the government played the video at Martinez-Quiroz's detention hearing in federal court. The video can be viewed here.
Martinez-Quiroz was arrested on April 9, 2026. Initially, a U.S. Magistrate judge ordered him released from custody on bond; however, the U.S. Attorney's Office appealed to a U.S. District Court judge, who reversed the Magistrate judge's ruling and granted the government's motion for pre-trial detention.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan L. Shih.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →