Jose Cruz Cienega-Gaona, Unlawful Possession of Firearms, Florida 2024

Jacksonville, Florida – A Mexican national has been sentenced to over a year in federal prison for possessing a firearm while unlawfully in the United States.

Jose Cruz Cienega-Gaona, 41, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger for possessing a firearm while unlawfully in the United States.

Cienega-Gaona entered a guilty plea in November 2024, after a lengthy investigation by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

According to court documents, in May 2024, agents with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection began an investigation into Cienega-Gaona. Through their investigation, agents determined that Cienega-Gaona is a native and citizen of Mexico, and that he had been removed from the United States in 2006 and 2019 after it was determined he was illegally in the country.

On July 9, 2024, agents spoke with Cienega-Gaona at a gas station near his home and he was arrested for being illegally in the United States. While interviewing Cienega-Gaona, agents learned that he had guns in his home, leading them to execute a search warrant and find four guns and ammunition.

Because Cienega-Gaona was in the United States illegally, he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams, as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence by fostering trust and legitimacy in communities and setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities.

The case highlights the importance of community-based organizations in preventing violence, and the need for law enforcement to work together to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

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