Illegal Alien With Prior Felony Conviction Indicted for Possessing a Firearm
FORT MYERS, Fla. — U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Luis Armando Rodriguez-Padilla, 27, Fort Myers, with illegal reentry by a previously convicted felon, possession of a firearm by an alien unlawfully in the U.S. and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted on all counts, Rodriguez-Padilla faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on Oct. 29, Rodriguez-Padilla possessed an Interarms revolver. Rodriguez-Padilla had previously been deported after being convicted in state court of conspiracy to break and enter. As an alien and convicted felon, Rodriguez-Padilla is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin S. Winter.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results.
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