Jonathan Manuel Martinez, 31, of Idaho Falls, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, admitting he had no legal right to own or carry a weapon after a prior felony conviction. The guilty plea, entered in federal court, caps a high-speed law enforcement response to a stolen vehicle report that turned up something far more dangerous.
On October 13, 2020, Idaho State Police pulled over a vehicle reported stolen on I-15 in Bonneville County. Inside, they found Martinez behind the wheel—alone. When questioned, he told officers there was a shotgun in the front seat. They recovered a short-barreled shotgun, a weapon that falls under strict federal regulation. Records confirm Martinez had a prior felony conviction, making his possession of any firearm a federal crime.
Martinez now faces up to ten years in federal prison, a fine of $250,000, and three years of supervised release. His sentencing is scheduled for February 8, 2022, before Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye in Pocatello. Prosecutors are expected to push for a sentence at the higher end, citing the danger posed by armed felons on public highways.
The case was prosecuted by a specially deputized Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) funded by the Eastern Idaho Partnership (EIP) and the State of Idaho. The EIP is a coalition of local city and county officials, along with the Idaho Department of Correction, formed to combat violent crime through federal prosecution.
Since the EIP SAUSA program launched in January 2016, approximately 186 defendants have been indicted. Of those, 40 were charged specifically with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Collectively, these defendants have been sentenced to 7,646 months—nearly 637 years—in federal prison, averaging 41 months per firearms conviction.
Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr. of the District of Idaho announced the plea and praised the joint efforts of the Idaho State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. ‘This case is another example of how local and federal law enforcement can shut down illegal gun possession before it leads to violence,’ Gonzalez said. ‘We’re not letting felons turn Idaho’s roads into shooting galleries.’
Related Federal Cases
- Idaho Man Indicted for Unlawful Gun Possession · Idaho
- John Day Man Admits to .50 Cal Machine Gun Possession · Oregon
- Idaho Man Bojorquez Admits to Illegal Gun Stash · Idaho
- Twin Falls Felon Dale Jensen Clocked 16 Months for Gun, Weed Bust · Idaho
- Nampa’s Carlos Ballesteros Pleads Guilty to Gun Possession · Idaho
Key Facts
- State: Idaho
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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