Mexican man sentenced to 21 months for illegal reentry and gun possession
Federal judge handed the sentence to Federico Sanchez Alvarado after he was caught with a stolen pistol in Pelham.
By Pedro Barnes ·
A federal judge in Birmingham has sentenced a Mexican citizen to 21 months in prison for violating immigration and firearm laws. The defendant, 29-year-old Federico Sanchez Alvarado, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry after deportation and possession of a firearm as an illegal alien.
Sanchez’s history with U.S. immigration authorities dates back nearly a decade. He was ordered removed from the country in February 2016 and was physically deported in August of that same year. He re-entered the United States illegally before his current arrest.
The case began in October 2025 when the Pelham Police Department responded to reports of shots fired in a residential neighborhood behind Deer Springs Road. Officers arrived on the scene and heard additional gunshots. During their investigation, Sanchez admitted to firing a pistol in a backyard. He then directed officers to the weapon inside his home.
Police recovered the gun and determined it had been reported stolen in Birmingham two weeks prior to the incident. After confirming that Sanchez was in the country illegally for a second time, law enforcement arrested him.
U.S. Attorney Phillip Williams Jr. stated that the sentence ensures individuals who ignore immigration and firearms statutes are held responsible. He described the case as an example of how immigration laws are sometimes disregarded, noting that Sanchez was on his second deportation. Williams added that the Department of Justice will continue to enforce border security laws.
Ellen Johnson, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama, said that illegal aliens who reenter the country after removal and possess firearms pose a risk to the community. She stated that HSI will continue to work with federal, state, and local partners to identify and investigate individuals who threaten public safety.
The sentencing concludes the federal prosecution of Sanchez Alvarado. He will serve his 21-month term in prison following his guilty plea.
