A Silver City man, Max Flores, pleaded guilty on Mar. 23 in federal court to illegally possessing firearms and ammunition after previously being convicted of a felony.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address the issue of firearm possession by individuals with prior felony convictions. Authorities say such offenses can pose significant risks to community safety.
According to court documents, officers stopped a vehicle driven by Flores on December 10, 2024. At the time, Flores was a previously convicted felon with an active arrest warrant and was on federal probation after serving 168 months in federal prison. During the traffic stop, officers found a firearm in his vehicle. Later, on April 26, 2025, police executed a search warrant at Flores’ residence following an unrelated incident and recovered several firearms and ammunition.
Flores pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He faces up to fifteen years in prison at sentencing.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced the plea agreement. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Silver City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Randy M. Castellano prosecuted the case.
