Garcia Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Firearm Possession
Albuquerque, New Mexico – In a shocking turn of events, Edward A. Garcia, a 51-year-old non-Indian man residing in Isleta Pueblo, New Mexico, has pleaded guilty to violating federal firearms laws by unlawfully possessing a firearm.
Garcia’s guilty plea comes after he was arrested by the Isleta Pueblo Tribal Police Department in July 2017 for assaulting an Isleta Pueblo woman by biting her and striking her on the face and threatening her with a sledgehammer.
The assault allegations led to a four-count indictment filed on July 27, 2017, charging Garcia with two assault offenses: assault of an intimate partner resulting in substantial bodily injury on June 6, 2017, and assault with a dangerous weapon, a sledgehammer, on June 7, 2017.
Garcia also faced charges of using a cellphone to engage in a course of conduct that caused substantial emotional distress to the victim and placing her in fear of death and serious bodily injury from June 7, 2017, through July 6, 2017, as well as unlawfully possessing a firearm in July 2017.
As part of his guilty plea, Garcia admitted to being in possession of a handgun on July 7, 2017, when he was arrested by law enforcement authorities. He also acknowledged that he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to his status as a convicted felon.
At sentencing, Garcia faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. He remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
The case was investigated by the Isleta Pueblo Tribal Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Novaline D. Wilson is prosecuting the case pursuant to the Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (Tribal SAUSA) Pilot Project in the District of New Mexico, which is sponsored by the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women under a grant administered by the Pueblo of Laguna.
The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project aims to train tribal prosecutors in federal law, procedure, and investigative techniques to increase the likelihood that every viable violent offense against Native women is prosecuted in either federal court or tribal court, or both.
Defendant/Respondent: Edward A. Garcia
Criminal Charges: Violation of federal firearms laws by unlawfully possessing a firearm
City and State: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Exact Date: July 7, 2017
Sentence or Outcome: Pleading guilty, maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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