A shocking crime has shaken the city of Fairhope, Alabama. On March 25, 2018, Police Officers of the Fairhope, Alabama, Police Department encountered Jose Luis Alonso DeLeon at the laundromat located at 139 Baldwin Square Shopping Center in Fairhope.
DeLeon was still sitting behind the steering wheel in a maroon truck that had just struck and killed a bicyclist moments before. Officers observed a Glock model 26 9mm pistol on the floorboard of the truck. The Glock had one round in the chamber and had been reported stolen.
On March 25, 2023, United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that DeLeon was sentenced to five years in prison for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, a violation of 18 USC Section 922(g), which carried a maximum penalty of up to ten years imprisonment and three years of supervised release.
DeLeon also pled guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien, which carried a maximum penalty of up to two years imprisonment and one year of supervised release. He was sentenced to the maximum two years in prison for illegal reentry and five years in prison for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, both sentences to be served concurrently.
According to the United States Attorney, DeLeon, a citizen of Mexico, was found in the United States on March 25, 2014, and was ordered removed. He departed on March 27, 2014, from the Laredo, Texas Port of Entry. Despite these continued contacts, DeLeon kept returning to Baldwin County in flagrant disregard of the laws of the United States.
The judge noted that both illegal reentry and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person were serious crimes, and both were crimes frequently prosecuted in federal court. Before imposing sentence, the judge pointed out that what made this case different from others was that the defendant came to the attention of law enforcement officers as a result of their investigation into three serious felonies under Alabama law: manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident, and receiving stolen property.
The United States Attorney, Richard W. Moore, said, “Federal law in this case is inadequate to fully address the defendant’s criminal conduct and we will support fully our law enforcement partners in their efforts to keep our communities safe.
Key Facts
- State: Alabama
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
