Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A Guatemalan national residing in Houston has been sentenced to over 15 years in federal prison for multiple armed robberies. Josue Castro-Gomez, 29, pleaded guilty to several robbery charges and one count of brandishing a firearm, as announced by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. sentenced Castro-Gomez to 98 months for the robberies and an additional consecutive 84 months for the firearms charge, totaling a 182-month imprisonment term. Following his sentence, he is expected to lose his legal status in the United States and face deportation proceedings.
The court heard that Castro-Gomez committed the robberies by posing as a customer before surprising store employees with a firearm. In November and December of 2023, he robbed two gas stations and a smoke shop at gunpoint.
On November 25, 2023, Castro-Gomez entered Korner Food Mart in Houston, demanded cash from the register while brandishing a firearm, and discharged it above the clerk's head before fleeing without money. On December 11-12, he successfully obtained cash from Circle K gas station and Vape City before escaping.
Law enforcement apprehended Castro-Gomez on December 12 and found him carrying a .32 caliber handgun. A spent shell casing from the November robbery matched this weapon during the investigation.
Castro-Gomez had prior felony convictions in 2015 and 2017 for unauthorized vehicle use and possession of controlled substances. As a felon, he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
He will remain detained until transferred to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility soon.
The investigation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with support from the Houston Police Department and Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco J. Rodriguez prosecuted the case.
The ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) played a crucial role in generating investigative leads for this case by linking ballistic evidence across crime scenes to help solve violent crimes involving firearms.
