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Press Release

Las Cruces Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Firearms Laws

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE – Richard Isaac Quezada, 33, of Las Cruces, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court to violating the federal firearms laws.  Under the terms of his plea agreement, Quezada will be sentenced to 60 months in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.

Quezada was arrested in March 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition on March 14, 2016, in Doña Ana County, N.M.  According to the complaint, Quezada was arrested after he discharged a firearm in front of a residence, striking a vehicle.  During a search incident to arrest, the officers found that Quezada was in possession of a loaded firearm and ammunition.

Today Quezada pled guilty today to a felony information charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm.  In entering the guilty plea, Quezada admitted that on March 14, 2016, he possessed a loaded handgun and additional amounts of ammunition.  Quezada admitted that he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he previously had been convicted of importation of marijuana.  Quezada remains in federal custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the FBI and the Las Cruces Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah M. Davenport of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

Updated July 20, 2016