Juan Dias-Zacarias, an illegal immigrant from South America, has been sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm. The announcement was made by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin stated: “Law-abiding citizens are guaranteed the right to keep and bear firearms by our U.S. Constitution, but illegal aliens who unlawfully enter our country have no such right. In this case, the defendant not only unlawfully possessed a firearm, he used it to violently threaten another person.”
Court records indicate that Dias-Zacarias threatened a security guard with a revolver at a hotel in Pensacola, Florida. After being asked multiple times to leave the premises, he brandished the weapon at the guard. The guard managed to disarm him and contact law enforcement.
Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nichola Ingegno commented: “This criminal illegal alien posed a clear threat to public safety by illegally possessing a firearm… His prior deportation and continued efforts to evade law enforcement demonstrate a complete disregard of the laws of the United States.”
Dias-Zacarias has been subject to an ICE detainer and will face deportation proceedings following his prison term. His sentence includes three years of supervised release.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations along with other agencies. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer H. Callahan prosecuted this case.
This sentencing is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative aimed at addressing illegal immigration and transnational crime.
