A 38-year-old Mexico citizen who recently resided in Madison, pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to firearm and immigration offenses, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen R. Wigginton.

Emilio Barrios-Cortez pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien and entry into the United States without inspection.

According to prosecutors, Barrios-Cortez agreed to forfeit the firearm and ammunition he possessed to the United States. In addition, he agreed to the entry of a judicial order of removal, which will require him to be deported following the service of his sentence.

Barrios-Cortez faces a possible sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the firearm offense, and not more than six months in prison and a $5,000 fine for the immigration offense.

Barrios-Cortez was arrested Aug. 23 when federal agents went to a residence in Madison to attempt to arrest two individuals who had been charged as a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation.

Although those two individuals were not found, agents did discover a sawed-off shotgun, which further investigation revealed had been possessed by Barrios-Cortez. According to court documents, Barrios-Cortez admitted to agents he was an illegal alien who entered the country in October 2002 near Douglas, Ariz.