LAS VEGAS, Nev. - A felon who pleaded guilty to selling a loaded firearm and methamphetamine outside a fast-food restaurant was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.
Michael Villareal, 42, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Villareal has four prior felony convictions between 1996 and 2010, and he is prohibited from legally possessing a firearm.
According to court documents, on May 28, 2019, Villareal met a buyer outside a fast food restaurant and sold the buyer a loaded Glock 19 handgun and 27.4 grams of methamphetamine for $580. The handgun was loaded with 15 rounds.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon sentenced Villareal to four years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shaheen Torgoley is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide program by the Department of Justice that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, the Department announced the reinvigoration of PSN. For more information about PSN, visit www.justice.gov/usao-nv.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
