Roswell Felon Enrique Chavarria Gets 5 Years for Gun Possession

Enrique Chavarria, 33, of Roswell, N.M., is headed back behind bars after being sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition—crimes that cut straight through the thin line between parole and prison.

The sentence, handed down in Las Cruces federal court, includes 40 months for unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and an additional 20 months for violating the terms of his supervised release from a prior conviction. After serving time, Chavarria will face three years under federal supervision.

Chavarria was arrested on July 21, 2016, in Chaves County by the U.S. Marshals Service. At the time of his arrest, he was prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition due to a prior conviction for possession of methamphetamine and cocaine with intent to distribute—making his actions not just reckless, but federal felonies.

On September 16, 2016, Chavarria pleaded guilty to a felony information charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. He entered the plea without a deal, foregoing any leniency a plea agreement might have offered. The move signaled either defiance or desperation—either way, the court wasn’t swayed.

The case was jointly investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Las Cruces, agencies that routinely track down high-risk offenders who rearm themselves despite court orders. Their collaboration closed this case, but dozens more linger across New Mexico.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Beck, from the Las Cruces Branch Office, prosecuted the case. No excuses were accepted. No second chances were granted. Chavarria’s return to prison underscores a harsh truth: once a felon, always watched—and one wrong move can slam the cell door shut all over again.