Julio Rangel-Jimenez, a 41-year-old Mexican national, has been sentenced to 46 months in prison after pleading guilty to two felony charges: Illegal Alien Unlawfully in Possession of a Firearm and Reentry of Removed Alien. The sentence was handed down by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco, according to an announcement from Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Court documents indicate that Rangel-Jimenez was removed from the United States in February 2025. He later reentered the country illegally and was arrested on July 22, 2025, in Fulton County, Indiana, following a traffic stop. During the investigation, law enforcement found two handguns, two rifles with large capacity magazines, and approximately 19 grams of cocaine at the residence where he was staying. As an individual unlawfully present in the United States, Rangel-Jimenez was prohibited from possessing firearms.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement led the investigation with support from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Hannah T Jones prosecuted the case.
The prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative that coordinates efforts among law enforcement agencies and communities to reduce violent crime and gun violence. The Department of Justice strengthened this program’s strategy in May 2021 by focusing on building trust within communities, supporting organizations aimed at preventing violence before it occurs, setting targeted enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.
