A Salvadoran national has been indicted for firearm possession, according to an announcement by Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson. Edgar Yovani Perez-Gutierrez, a 27-year-old from El Salvador, was formally charged on April 24, 2025, for unlawfully possessing a firearm as an illegal alien. The indictment states that this is a violation of Title 18 of the United States Code, Sections 922(g)(5)(A) and 924(a)(8).
Court documents reveal that Perez-Gutierrez was found with a Glock handgun on or about April 10, 2025. His arrest involved collaboration between the New Orleans Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations officers, who allege violations of immigration and federal gun control laws.
If found guilty, Perez-Gutierrez faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson emphasized that the indictment itself is merely a charge, with the onus of proof lying on the prosecution to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Simpson also commended the investigation efforts of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations, the FBI, and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution is led by Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit.
This case falls under Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative targeting illegal immigration, cartels, transnational criminal organizations, and violent crime. The operation coordinates efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
