Walter Geovanni Arteta-Gonzalez, Firearm Possession, Illinois 2023

Walter Geovanni Arteta-Gonzalez, a 33-year-old non-citizen from Honduras, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for possessing a firearm in Springfield, Illinois. Arteta-Gonzalez was also found guilty of illegal reentry after removal.

The incident occurred on November 27, 2023, at a Springfield hotel. Springfield Police officers were called to the scene after shots were fired. Following an investigation, it was discovered that Arteta-Gonzalez and his accomplice, Santos Fernando Zepeda-Arteta, had possessed firearms without proper documentation.

Arteta-Gonzalez admitted to police that he had fired rounds outside his hotel room ‘just for fun.’ The gun he used was not specified in the report. Zepeda-Arteta, on the other hand, had in his possession a stolen firearm from an unspecified location in St. Louis, Missouri.

The statutory penalties for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person are up to 15 years imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. In addition to the firearm possession, Arteta-Gonzalez was also sentenced for illegal re-entry into the country after a prior removal, which carries a penalty of up to 2 years’ imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

The investigation into the case was a collaborative effort by the Springfield Police Department, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Sangamon County Sheriffs’ Office. Assistant United States Attorney Sierra-Senor Moore represented the government in the prosecution.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence in communities. The program focuses on fostering trust and legitimacy, supporting community-based organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results.

Arteta-Gonzalez has been in the custody of the United States Marshals Service since his arrest in November 2023. His sentence is a reminder that possessing firearms without proper documentation can have serious consequences.

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