Daniel Ignacio Mejia-Castillo, a 32-year-old Honduran national, has been sentenced to 144 months in prison for illegal possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown delivered the sentence following Mejia's guilty plea to the charge, which violates Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(5)(A) and 924(a)(8).
The incident dates back to February 8, 2022, when an armed robbery occurred in El Milagro Church's parking lot on 440 N. Dorgenois Street in New Orleans. Officers from the New Orleans Police Department responded promptly and, while searching for suspects, found Mejia hiding in overgrown grass near the 2500 block of St. Louis Street. He was in possession of a Kel-Tec Model PF-9, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol. Mejia, identified as an illegal alien from Honduras, was then detained by police.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program involving various levels of law enforcement and communities to tackle violent crime and gun violence. On May 26, 2021, an enhancement to PSN was introduced by the Department to reduce violent crime through fostering trust, supporting community organizations, setting enforcement priorities, and measuring results.
Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson acknowledged the contributions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of the Inspector General - Social Security Administration, and the New Orleans Police Department in the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit supervised the prosecution.
