Pounds Prosecuted Pursuant to Federal “Worst of the Worst" Anti-Violence Initiative
ALBUQUERQUE - Marquis Pounds, 27, of Albuquerque, N.M., made his initial appearance in federal court this morning on a criminal complaint charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The federal charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez, 2nd Judicial District Attorney Kari E. Brandenburg, Special Agent in Charge Thomas G. Atteberry of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Chief Naithan Gurule of the Los Lunas Police Department, and Chief Gorden Eden, Jr., of the Albuquerque Police Department.
The criminal complaint alleges that Pounds unlawfully possessed a firearm and ammunition on June 5, 2015, in Bernalillo County, N.M. According to the criminal complaint, law enforcement officers executed search warrants on Pounds’ residence in northeast Albuquerque and seized a revolver and ammunition. Subsequent investigation revealed that revolver and ammunition had been reported stolen from a pawn shop in Los Lunas, N.M. According to court documents, in Pounds was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he previously had been convicted of receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle, possession of narcotics with intent to distribute, conspiracy to possess narcotics with intent to distribute, and embezzlement.
Pounds was arrested on June 5, 2015, on related state charges and remained in state custody until today when he was transferred to federal custody. The state charges against Pounds will be dismissed in favor of federal prosecution.
If convicted of the charge in the criminal complaint, Pounds faces a statutory maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison. If the court determines that Pounds is an armed career criminal, he faces an enhanced sentence of a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison to a maximum of life imprisonment. Charges in criminal complaints are mere accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Albuquerque Police Department and the Los Lunas Police Department with assistance from the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Presiliano A. Torrez 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. Because New Mexico’s violent crime rates, on a per capita basis, are amongst the highest in the nation, New Mexico’s law enforcement community is collaborating to target repeat offenders from counties with the highest violent crime rates, including Bernalillo and Valencia Counties, under this initiative.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
