Jhosmy Josue Perez-Alvarez, a 32-year-old Honduran national, has pleaded guilty to illegal firearm possession. The plea was entered on January 8, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey in New Orleans, Louisiana. Perez-Alvarez admitted to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, violating Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(5)(A) and 924(a)(8).
Court documents reveal that the case stemmed from an armed robbery incident on February 8, 2022. The robbery took place in the parking lot of a church on N. Dorgenois Street in New Orleans. Officers from the New Orleans Police Department responded to the scene and conducted a search for suspects. During this operation, they found Perez-Alvarez hiding in overgrown grass near St. Louis Street with a Kel-Tec Model PF-9 pistol.
Perez-Alvarez could face up to ten years in prison, along with fines reaching $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release upon sentencing. A $100 mandatory special assessment fee is also applicable. Sentencing is set for April 10, 2025.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson acknowledged the efforts of several agencies involved in this investigation: 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.
Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis is leading the prosecution under Operation Take Back America. This initiative aims to address illegal immigration issues by leveraging resources from various task forces within the Department of Justice.
