Man in U.S. illegally found guilty of firing gun in Fairview Heights park
A 23-year-old native of El Salvador was convicted of one count of unlawful use of a firearm by an illegal alien in the U.S. Federal Court in the Southern District of Illinois Wednesday.
Gustavo Alvarez-Gomez, spent the last two days listening to evidence against him at the East St. Louis court house before the decision was left to jurors Tuesday afternoon. They returned Wednesday with the guilty verdict.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 8.
On February 25, 2019, Fairview Heights police officers were dispatched mid-day to Pleasant Ridge Park to investigate a call that shots had been fired. Amother as in the park with her 1- and 4-year-old children, according to the federal complaint.
When police arrived, they saw two suspects, who were later identified by police as Jordy Joel Sanchez-Andrade and Alvarez-Gomez. As police approached, the two men ran off, but were soon caught, the complaint states.
Alvarez-Gomez had an identification card from El-Salvatore and Sanchez -Andrade had an identification card from Honduras. Andrade, when questioned by police, admitted he had thrown the gun near where where police caught up to them.
Police recovered the 9mm handgun loaded with five rounds, according to court records.
Sanchez-Andrade admitted he “handled the firearm and fired the firearm,” the record states. He also said Gustavo-Andrade fired the gun, the record states.
Sanchez-Andrade, previously pleaded guilty to shooting more than 10 rounds. He is currently in ICE custody awaiting removal proceedings back to his native Honduras.
Alvarez Gomez admitted to shooting at least one round, federal prosecutors said.
The court record further points out that Sanchez-Andrade knew he was in in the United States illegally. He could receive up to 10 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. After his sentence has been served, Alvarez-Gomez will be referred to immigration authorities for removal proceedings, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
This story was originally published January 29, 2020 at 3:22 PM.
