MD Ikbal, Illegally Possessing a Stolen Firearm, Guam 2022

SAIPAN, CNMI – In a case that highlights the dangers of gun crime in our community, 37-year-old MD Ikbal, a citizen of Bangladesh living on the island of Rota, has been sentenced to 14 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a stolen firearm.

According to court documents, Ikbal arrived in the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands (CNMI) in June 2016 on a CNMI-Only Transitional Worker (CW-1) visa, which allowed him to work in the CNMI. However, following the expiration of his visa in January 2017, Ikbal remained on the island of Rota without lawful immigration status.

On October 2021, Ikbal entered the home of another without permission and threatened to kill occupants. He was subsequently charged in local court for trespassing and assault, and released on bail.

During May 2022, police on Rota received a report that Ikbal was in possession of a firearm. After a nine-hour search, officers located Ikbal hiding in a jungle area, armed with a stolen .40 caliber handgun containing a fully loaded magazine. The firearm was a service weapon issued to a Rota police officer and had been reported stolen a week prior.

“Federal law prohibits foreign nationals from possessing firearms and ammunition except in limited circumstances,” stated United States Attorney Shawn N. Anderson. “These cases will be aggressively prosecuted by our office in an effort to keep our communities safe from gun crime.”

The CNMI Department of Public Safety, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Albert S. Flores Jr. prosecuted this case.

Ikbal will enter deportation proceedings following his release from prison. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of enforcing federal laws and protecting our communities from gun violence.

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