Christian O. Dalmau, Possession of Firearm by Controlled Substance …

A 31-year-old Bronx man walked into a Buffalo courtroom and admitted he had no business holding a loaded 9mm handgun—because he was high on oxycodone at the time. Christian O. Dalmau pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance, a federal charge carrying a maximum 10-year prison sentence and $250,000 fine.

The arrest traces back to January 5, 2014, when Buffalo Police pulled over a GMC Yukon near Bailey and Cloverdale Avenues. Dalmau was the only passenger. Hidden in a hydraulic trap compartment in the SUV’s cargo area: a loaded Taurus 9mm with 13 rounds. Also stashed inside—three foil packets, each holding eight oxycodone pills. Cops later found more of the same pills on the backseat of the patrol car where Dalmau had been placed.

Dalmau admitted he was addicted to the painkillers, a confession that sealed the federal gun charge. Under the law, being a regular user of controlled substances bars someone from legally possessing a firearm. He admitted knowing the gun was there and that he had access to it.

But the case doesn’t end with the traffic stop. In the plea agreement, prosecutors reserved the right to link Dalmau to a shooting homicide on Newfield Street that occurred hours before the vehicle was stopped. Authorities suspect the Yukon may have been involved. Dalmau, however, retains the right to fight that connection at sentencing.

The investigation was a joint operation between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), led by Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict; the Buffalo Police Department under Chief Daniel Derenda; and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), directed by Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt. The trap compartment, the hidden weapons, and the drugs paint a picture of a mobile drug-and-firearms operation.

Sentencing is set for April 26, 2017, before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wei Xiang is prosecuting the case. Dalmau’s guilty plea puts him one step closer to federal prison—but whether he’ll answer for murder remains to be seen.

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