A Las Cruces man was sentenced after pleading guilty to possessing a loaded, stolen handgun outside a gas station while he was under indictment and on community supervision for a felony robbery in Texas, according to a Mar. 11 announcement by federal authorities.
The case highlights the enforcement of federal laws prohibiting individuals under felony indictment from possessing firearms. There is no parole in the federal system, which means sentences must be served as imposed.
Court records show that on January 14, 2025, Stephen Gregory Smith, age 24, was found with a loaded handgun and ammunition outside a Las Cruces gas station after officers responded to reports that he was harassing customers. Smith admitted to having the concealed firearm in his pocket. Investigators determined that the gun had been reported stolen earlier that day from a nearby residence. At the time of his arrest, Smith was under indictment and on community supervision in Texas for felony robbery charges, making it illegal for him to possess firearms.
Smith pleaded guilty to illegal receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment. Upon release from prison, he will be subject to two years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Taekuk Cho of Homeland Security Investigations El Paso made the announcement regarding the sentencing. The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations El Paso with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office; the Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office; and New Mexico State University Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Armijo is prosecuting the case.
