A federal grand jury in Charlotte has indicted two Honduran nationals, Alexander Josue Viatoro-Arita, 20, and Olver Anacleto Amador-Calderon, 24. They are charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien. This was announced by Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

The announcement was made in conjunction with Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Charlotte Division; Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD); and Chief Trent Conard of the Gastonia Police Department.

The indictment and criminal complaint allege that Viatoro-Arita and Amador-Calderon were involved in suspected drug trafficking activities. On January 14, 2025, law enforcement officers arrived at their hotel in Charlotte and made contact with them. During this encounter, a frisk allegedly revealed concealed firearms on both individuals' waistbands. The defendants were subsequently taken into custody.

Court records indicate that Amador-Calderon allegedly possessed a .380 caliber Titan pistol while Viatoro-Arita had a stolen 9mm Taurus pistol with a partially obliterated serial number. Both men are accused of being illegally present in the United States and knowingly possessing firearms unlawfully. Additional allegations suggest that law enforcement discovered a large quantity of U.S. currency and suspected narcotics in their hotel room.

Both defendants remain in federal custody as they face charges that could lead to a maximum sentence of 15 years if convicted for unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien.

It is important to note that these charges are merely allegations at this stage, and both individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in court.

The investigation is being conducted by the FBI, CMPD, and the Gastonia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is handling prosecution duties for this case.