The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida has announced that Juan Dias-Zacarias, an illegal immigrant from South America, has been sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for unlawful firearm possession. This announcement was shared through a press release.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Dias-Zacarias was sentenced after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. Court documents indicate that he brandished a revolver at a security guard at a hotel in Pensacola, Florida, after being repeatedly asked to evacuate the premises. Authorities noted that Dias-Zacarias had previously been deported from the United States in 1998 but had illegally reentered the country. He reportedly used multiple aliases and provided false information to law enforcement to evade detection.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reported that during the incident, Dias-Zacarias removed a revolver from his waistband and pointed it at the security guard, causing fear for the guard’s life. The guard managed to disable Dias-Zacarias, remove the firearm, and contact law enforcement, leading to his arrest. Law enforcement utilized advanced biometric identification techniques to confirm his identity despite his multiple aliases and prior attempts to conceal his background.
Following his conviction, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said that Dias-Zacarias was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison, with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer lodged against him to initiate deportation proceedings after serving his sentence. He will also be subject to three years of supervised release; reentry into the United States during this period could result in additional incarceration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer H. Callahan and investigated by ICE Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement Removal Operations as part of Operation Take Back America.
According to the official website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, it serves as the chief federal law enforcement agency for northern Florida and is responsible for prosecuting violations of federal law, defending the United States in civil cases, and protecting public interest. The office operates under the direction of the Attorney General and participates in national initiatives such as Operation Take Back America and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
