Gang Member Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Short Barreled Shotgun
Lorenzo A. Pacheco, 31 of Mt. Morris and a Spanish Cobras gang member, was sentenced on October 6, 2021 to 63 months in federal prison following his conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Saima S. Mohsin announced today.
Mohsin was joined in the announcement by Acting Special Agent in Charge Keith Krolczyk of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Detroit Field Division.
U.S. District Court Judge Matthew F. Leitman imposed sentence on Pacheco, a convicted felon who was on federal supervised release for a similar offense at the time he committed the instant offense. Leitman also sentenced Pacheco to 3 years of federal supervised release following his term of incarceration.
According to court documents, on September 13, 2020, a Genesee County Sheriff’s Deputy observed Pacheco driving a vehicle in Flint without any headlights. As the deputy caught up with Pacheco, he saw Pacheco cut off another car while weaving in and out of traffic. The deputy initiated a traffic stop on Pacheco who pulled into the parking lot of a local restaurant. As Pacheco pulled into the parking lot, he tossed a short-barreled shotgun out of the driver’s side window. Pacheco then continued to drive through the parking lot and onto another street despite the deputy’s continuous activated siren. Pacheco eventually came to a stop at which time he jumped out of the vehicle and fled on foot. The deputy chased Pacheco as he ran into the backyard of a local residence, between the garage and the house. The deputy issued loud commands to stop but Pacheco continued to flee. He ran behind the garage and jumped over a small fence where he fell. Pacheco got up and continued to run. The deputy deployed a taser hitting Pacheco in the back. The deputy placed Pacheco in handcuffs and took him into custody. Trooper with the Michigan State Police recovered the shotgun, which had one shell in the chamber and one in the magazine tube. The shotgun’s serial number was not discernible.
“This case is representative of ATF’s commitment to working hand-in-hand with the U.S. Attorney’s office and our State and local partners to stop dangerous felons from illegally possessing firearms and keeping violent criminals out of our communities,” stated Special Agent in Charge Krolczyk.
“Guns in the hands of violent convicted felons is a recipe for disaster. Our office will continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to target violent criminals, especially gang members, who illegally possess dangerous weapons,” said Mohsin.
This investigation was conducted by the ATF’s Flint Field Office, the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department, and the Michigan State Police. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan – Flint Branch Office.
