A Mexican national residing illegally in Dayton, Texas, has been indicted for a firearms violation, according to an announcement from Jay R. Combs, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas.
Vicente Gerardo-Cruz, 47, was charged by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The indictment states that on November 5, 2025, Gerardo-Cruz was found possessing a firearm while being present in the United States unlawfully. Federal law prohibits individuals who are not legally present in the country from owning or possessing firearms.
If found guilty, Gerardo-Cruz could face up to 15 years in federal prison.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America. This initiative aims to use all resources available to the Department of Justice to address illegal immigration and eliminate criminal organizations that operate across borders.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations are leading the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Reynaldo P. Morin is prosecuting the case.
"A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law," according to the statement released by authorities.
