BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Boston yesterday in connection with being an alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Felix Renaldo Nunez-Guerrero, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 37 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Following the completion of his sentence, Nunez-Guerrero will be placed into removal proceedings and deported to the Dominican Republic.
On April 23, 2016, Lawrence police officers were dispatched to the area near Poplar Street and Alder Street in response to a report of shots fired. Upon arrival, they received information that the individual involved in the shooting had fled in a white Mercedes SUV. At the scene, law enforcement officers recovered eight .45 caliber shell casings.
Shortly thereafter, officers stopped a white Mercedes SUV containing three occupants and removed them for questioning. Additionally, the officers recovered a silver Para Ordinance .45 caliber semi-automatic firearm from under the front passenger’s seat. While being questioned at the police station, the front seat passenger provided a false name, but his fingerprints were found to match those of Nunez-Guerrero. According to law enforcement records, Nunez-Guerrero was a citizen of the Dominican Republic and had been deported on two previous occasions, March 25, 2009 and July 21, 2015. Nunez-Guerrero was interviewed and admitted to being an alien, to previously being deported, and to firing the .45 caliber firearm. Nunez-Guerrero’s hands were swabbed and later tested positive for gunshot residue.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigation in Boston; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Lawrence Police Chief James X. Fitzpatrick made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’s Major Crime Unit prosecuted the case.