Mexican National Sentenced for Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien

 Hattiesburg, Miss. - A Mexican national was sentenced today to 10 months in prison for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi; Diane Witte, Field Office Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement & Removal Operations in New Orleans; and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives.  

According to court documents, Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Cano-Elvira, 34, an illegal alien from Mexico, who was being held by Jones County officials on a state charge after his arrest for felony domestic violence.  On September 7, 2020, Jones County deputies had been dispatched to a domestic disturbance at Cano-Elvira’s residence.  When deputies arrived, they were told Cano-Elvira had a rifle in the residence.  Cano-Elvira fled on foot, and deputies found a Remington, Model 597, .22 caliber rifle, readily accessible in the unlocked closet of his bedroom.  Deputies confiscated the firearm, and Cano-Elvira was arrested the following day when he surrendered to deputies at his residence. The Remington rifle later was turned over to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). 

As part of the investigation, Cano-Elvira’s fingerprints were scanned into Homeland Security databases.  A positive match of his fingerprints was made with prior immigration records including fingerprints and photographs, and he was identified as a removed alien.  A removal order had been issued, and Cano-Elvira had been removed from the U.S. to Mexico in April 2014.  Thereafter, he illegally reentered the United States and was encountered by Homeland Security officials, on May 3, 2014.  His original order of removal was reinstated, and he was again physically removed from the United States to Mexico on May 31, 2014.  At the time of his last removal in 2014, Cano-Elvira was prohibited from entering the U.S. for 20 years.    

Cano-Elvira was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Taylor B. McNeel in Hattiesburg to 10 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He also may face Department of Homeland Security removal proceedings.   He pled guilty to the charge on February 4, 2021.  

Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca praised the coordination of ICE and the Jones County Sheriff’s Department who investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris was the prosecutor for the case.