TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)), published as received.
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Luis Miguel Hernandez-Flores, 37, of the country of El Salvador, was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This criminal illegal alien followed up his violation of our nation’s immigration laws with additional federal and state crimes while unlawfully present in our country, and will now spend time in federal prison before being swiftly deported. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi launched Operation Take Back America to devote the full might of the Department of Justice toward firmly enforcing our nation’s laws against criminal illegal aliens like this defendant, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to keep our communities safe.”
Court documents reflect that on January 30, 2025, at approximately 3:00 A.M., Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) deputies initiated a traffic stop on the defendant’s vehicle because it was parked in the middle of the road with the defendant sleeping inside the car while the engine was running. The defendant was arrested for driving without a valid driver’s license. During an inventory search of the car, law enforcement located a .223 Ruger American Rifle which was seized by GCSO. An investigation into the immigration status of the defendant revealed that he was a citizen of El Salvador who was unlawfully present in the United States, and was federally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
In addition to his incarceration, Hernandez-Flores was ordered to forfeit his interest in the rifle that he illegally possessed.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Gadsen County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
