WICHITA, KAN. - A Mexican woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to unlawful possession of a firearm connected to a homicide case in Salina, Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.
The woman, Azucena Garcia-Ferniza, 22, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm while unlawfully in the United States. In her plea, she admitted that on May 7, 2015, she unlawfully possessed a Glock model 30.45 caliber pistol. Her visitor’s visa had expired in February 1998.
In July 2016, Garcia-Ferniza was sentenced in Saline County District Court to18 months on probation for attempting to hide the gun that killed 17-year-old Allie Saum. The gun belonged to her boyfriend, Macio D. Palicio, Jr. Saum was killed by gunfire when Palicio fired at a pickup he mistakenly believed was driven by rival gang members.
Palicio was convicted in Saline County District Court and sentenced to more than 50 years for the killing.
Garcia-Ferniza’s sentencing is set for Jan. 4. She has been in custody since August 2015.
Beall commended Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson for their work on the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
