Felon Convicted of Gun Violation – Orange Leader

BEAUMONT – A Richmond man arrested for a traffic violation in Vidor has been sentenced to federal prison for firearms offenses in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs .

Aaron Martinez, 33, pleaded guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on June 27.

According to information presented in court, on August 3, 2021, Martinez was stopped for a traffic violation in Vidor. During the stop, it was discovered that Martinez had an outstanding warrant for his arrest for a felony. A search of the vehicle revealed a loaded firearm and ammunition. Further investigation showed that Martinez was a convicted felon and was prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.

This case was prosecuted under the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program that has proven effective in reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad range of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses its enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with local prevention and reentry programs to achieve sustainable crime reductions.

This case was investigated by the Vidor Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Grove.