Honduran National Indicted in Louisiana for Illegal Firearm Possession

NEW ORLEANS — Erlin Jovany Gamez Maldonado, a 29-year-old native of Honduras illegally present in the United States, was indicted May 28, 2026, on one count of illegal firearm possession by an undocumented immigrant, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana announced June 1.

Gamez-Maldonado faces charges under Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(5)(A) and 924(a)(8). The statute prohibits any alien who is illegally or unlawfully present in the United States from shipping, transporting, possessing, or receiving any firearm or ammunition.

A conviction carries a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison, although sentencing will depend on final adjudication and any applicable guidelines.

The indictment represents a single-defendant enforcement action in the Eastern District of Louisiana. Federal law has barred undocumented immigrants from firearm possession since the 1968 Gun Control Act, as amended. The provision applies to all aliens whose presence violates immigration law, regardless of any prior criminal history.

Downstream, the indictment requires the U.S. Attorney’s Office to prepare the case for trial or plea in U.S. District Court. If convicted, Gamez-Maldonado will face federal sentencing that includes potential deportation proceedings upon completion of any prison term.

The ruling also obligates Immigration and Customs Enforcement to maintain custody or detainer status once the criminal matter resolves. No broader enforcement initiative is referenced in the charging documents.

This indictment follows a series of similar federal prosecutions in multiple districts targeting undocumented immigrants found in possession of firearms. The underlying prohibition originated in legislation passed by Congress in 1968 and has remained unchanged in its core application to illegal aliens.