Horizon City Man Faces Federal Firearms Charges

Individual is also suspected on posting threatening communications over the Internet

In El Paso today, federal authorities filed a criminal complaint against 29–year-old Alex R. Barron for federal firearms charges, including a charge of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition and a charge involving the prohibited possession of a machine gun, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI Special Agent in Charge Luis M. Quesada, El Paso Division.

On May 8, 2020, federal authorities executed a series of search warrants, including a search warrant for the defendant’s residence, in connection with an investigation into the alleged posting on a social media application of a photograph of an AR-15 style rifle with a caption stating “…#watchoutwalmartimcoming #droplikeflys…”  After recovering multiple firearms, including at least one fully automatic firearm equipped with a suppressor, and ammunition, authorities arrested Barron.

Barron’s criminal history reveals a 2012 felony conviction for a drug-related offense in El Paso County.

Upon conviction, Barron faces up to ten years in federal prison for each of the firearms charges.  He remains in custody at this time.

The FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, El Paso Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety are investigating this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Hanna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

A criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.   The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.