Florida Men Plead Guilty in Firearm Case

In a shocking turn of events, RUBEN JAUREGUI, 24, and FRANCISCO MALDONADO, 46, both of Dade City, Florida, have pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony in federal court. The two men appeared before U. S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey and entered their pleas, announced U. S. Attorney Dana Boente.

According to the facts, between February 6 and March 21, 2013, JAUREGUI and MALDONADO traveled from Florida with a co-defendant, Jaime Jauregui, who was heading to the Eastern District of Louisiana to negotiate the purchase of weapons. However, what they didn’t know was that Jaime Jauregui possessed a weapon, specifically a Colt M4, .233 caliber automatic assault rifle, which is classified as a firearm under Federal Law.

But here’s the twist – Jaime Jauregui is a convicted felon, which means he’s not allowed to possess a firearm. And that’s where JAUREGUI and MALDONADO come in. They assisted Jaime Jauregui by willfully concealing his possession of the firearm and failed to report this crime to the authorities as soon as possible.

The investigation into this case was conducted by Special Agents of Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution is being handled by Special Assistant United States Attorney Robert Weir.

Both RUBEN JAUREGUI and FRANCISCO MALDONADO face a maximum term of imprisonment of three years, a fine of $250,000.00, and one year of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for October 22, 2013.

This case is a stark reminder of the consequences of assisting a convicted felon in committing a crime. It’s a serious offense that can have severe consequences, and we urge anyone with information to come forward and cooperate with the authorities.

In related news, you can download the factual basis for the case involving FRANCISCO MALDONADO and RUBEN JAUREGUI by clicking on the links provided.

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