ALBUQUERQUE - Aaron Jimenez, 31, of Grants, N.M., was sentenced this morning to 84 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for violating the federal firearms laws. The sentence was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Steven C. Yarbrough, 13th Judicial District Attorney Lemuel L. Martinez, Special Agent in Charge Bernard J. Zapor of the Phoenix Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Chief Steve Sena of the Grants Police Department.
Jimenez was charged in March 2013 in a two-count indictment with unlawful possession of an unregistered sawed-off shotgun and being a felon unlawfully in possession of a firearm and ammunition. According to the indictment, Jimenez committed these offenses on Oct. 10, 2012, in Cibola County, N.M. At the time, Jimenez was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he previously had been convicted of burglary, aggravated battery and criminal damage to property.
In April 2013, Jimenez was transferred to federal custody from state custody, where he was being held on related state charges. The state charges subsequently were dismissed in lieu of federal prosecution. In Sept. 2013, Jimenez pled guilty to both counts of the indictment.
Jimenez was prosecuted as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst" offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Grants Police Department with assistance from the 13th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mysliwiec.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
