A Mexican national has been sentenced to federal prison for firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas. Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. announced that Maria Magdalena Chavez, 41, who was residing illegally in Port Arthur, pleaded guilty to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. She received a 24-month sentence from U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on May 27, 2025.
Court documents reveal that on September 11, 2024, Chavez was stopped for a traffic violation in Nederland. During the stop, officers discovered a firearm concealed in her bra. Further investigation showed that Chavez was a Mexican national previously removed from the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, which utilizes resources from the Department of Justice to address illegal immigration and combat cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs). The initiative also aims to protect communities from violent crime through efforts like the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The investigation involved the Department of Homeland Security, the Nederland Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tommy L. Coleman prosecuted the case.
