Jose Luis Arizmendi-Romero, Possession of a Firearm by an Alien Illegally in the United States, Illinois 2021

A Bloomington, Illinois man was sentenced to 30 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm.

Jose Luis Arizmendi-Romero, 33, of the 800 block of East Wood Street, was sentenced on an unspecified date to 30 months' imprisonment for possessing a firearm as an undocumented immigrant.

According to court documents, Bloomington Police, knowing there was an outstanding arrest warrant against Arizmendi-Romero, attempted a traffic stop on June 23, 2021. Arizmendi-Romero backed his car into a police car and then sped away, eventually crashing his car. He later returned to his residence, and police obtained a search warrant.

The search uncovered a 9-millimeter handgun and 52 rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition along with drug paraphernalia.

At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court Judge James E. Shadid noted the danger inherent in the possession of firearms combined with drug activity.

The Bloomington Police Department and the U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Arizmendi-Romero was indicted on the federal charge of possession of a firearm by an alien illegally in the United States in October 2021 and pleaded guilty to the charge in December 2021.

The case against Arizmendi-Romero was brought as part of The Department's Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative.

The statutory penalties for the offense are up to 10 years' imprisonment and up to three years of supervised release, along with forfeiture of the handgun.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdil/pr/bloomington-man-sentenced-30-months-prison-illegal-possession-firearm