A 55-year-old Laredo resident, Raymond Gutierrez, was sentenced on July 23 to 84 months in federal prison for illegally possessing firearms. U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos also ordered three years of supervised release following his prison term.
Gutierrez pleaded guilty on July 29, 2025. The court heard evidence that Gutierrez used methamphetamine and engaged in violent conduct during the offense, including holding two individuals at gunpoint and threatening to kill them. The court noted the seriousness of Gutierrez’s actions and his drug use when determining the sentence.
Law enforcement responded to a domestic disturbance at Gutierrez’s ranch on March 29, 2024. Authorities learned he accused someone of stealing a firearm, fired a round inside the residence, pointed a firearm at an individual, and threatened a shootout. When officers arrived, they observed Gutierrez with firearms and seized a 9 mm pistol from him. Further investigation revealed law enforcement had previously responded to multiple incidents at the ranch documenting illegal firearm possession by Gutierrez.
Following reports that he was using methamphetamine and had become increasingly violent while possessing multiple firearms, authorities executed a search warrant at his ranch on February 21, 2025. They seized six firearms—five rifles and one shotgun—as well as an unregistered silencer. As a convicted felon under federal law, Gutierrez is prohibited from possessing firearms.
He remains in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility yet to be determined. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and Webb County Sheriff’s Office; Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas focuses on prosecuting federal crimes such as this case while handling civil matters for the government; it employs more than 200 attorneys across offices in Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen and Brownsville covering over nine million people in forty-three counties according to its official website. Past leaders have included Alamdar Hamdani (2022–2025) and Ryan Patrick according to its official history page.