A 25-year-old Mexican national, Arturo Perez Ramirez, was sentenced on April 24 in U.S. District Court in Seattle to two years in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm, according to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Ramirez was arrested by Seattle Police on December 1, 2024 after being found driving a stolen car and leading officers on a short chase. A firearm was discovered inside the vehicle.
This case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address gun violence and community safety concerns. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez said, “Terrorizing a community is not something we can tolerate.”
Court records show that Ramirez was brought from Mexico as an infant and has had multiple encounters with law enforcement as both a juvenile and adult. He is barred from possessing firearms due to a prior conviction for attempted robbery and had previously been sentenced to more than four years in prison in February 2023.
Prosecutors requested a longer sentence, stating: “His convictions run the gamut from violent robberies and firearm offenses to stolen cars, escapes, thefts, and eluding. He spent a considerable amount of his youth detained in juvenile facilities. If facing criminal justice system consequences served as a deterrent for the defendant, he would not be facing deportation to a country in which he has not resided since infancy.”
Ramirez will likely face removal proceedings after serving his sentence. Judge Martinez warned that any return would result in harsher penalties.
The case was investigated by the Seattle Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), with prosecution led by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson.
The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington promotes community safety through programs addressing gun violence and online threats according to its official website. The office operates out of Seattle and Tacoma according to its official website.
It is part of the U.S. Department of Justice according to its official website, includes about 85 attorneys along with approximately 70 support staff according to its official website, handles federal prosecutions as well as civil litigation according to its official website, covers areas including Seattle and Tacoma according to its official website, enforces federal criminal laws alongside law enforcement agencies while providing legal counsel for the government and protecting civil rights—staffing more than 150 people overall—and leads federal drug court programs according to its official website.
