SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - California, Eastern), published as received.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury today returned an indictment charging Bendrelle Williams, 28, of Modesto, with being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on May 17, 2026, Williams, a member of a violent Modesto street gang, possessed an assault-style rifle loaded with 50 rounds of 5.56 ammunition. Williams is prohibited from possessing ammunition because of prior felony convictions including attempted robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The Modesto Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney George Biko is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Williams faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
