ALBUQUERQUE - Tommy Acevedo, 37, of Raton, N.M., pled guilty this morning to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez, 8th Judicial District Attorney Donald Gallegos, Acting Special Agent in Charge Mark Murray of the Phoenix Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Police Chief John Garcia of the Raton Police Department.
Acevedo was arrested on Dec. 17, 2013, on a federal indictment charging him with violating the federal firearms laws by unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition and unlawfully possessing an unregistered short-barreled shotgun in Colfax County, N.M., on June 19, 2013. At the time, Acevedo was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he previously had been convicted of two counts of forgery in the 8th Judicial District Court for the State of New Mexico and robbery in the 5th Judicial District Court for the State of New Mexico.
In entering his guilty plea, Acevedo admitted possessing a 20 gauge sawed-off shotgun without a serial number and eight rounds of ammunition on June 29, 2013, in Raton, N.M. Acevedo also admitted that he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of his status as a convicted felon.
Acevedo has been in federal custody since his arrest and remains detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has not yet been scheduled. He faces a statutory maximum penalty of ten years in prison. Related state charges were dismissed in favor of federal prosecution.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Raton Police Department, with assistance from the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis E. Valencia is prosecuting the case.
This case is being 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.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
