David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that a Wilmington, Delaware man, currently facing gang participation charges in the Superior Court of State of Delaware, pleaded guilty on Monday to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. U.S. District Judge Richard G. Andrews accepted the plea.
According to statements made in open court, Khalil Rodriguez-Fitzgerald, 27, possessed a Glock model 19x handgun. In conducting the investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, (ATF) determined that the firearm was straw purchased in North Carolina on February 7, 2021, transported north, and delivered to the defendant in New Jersey on February 8, 2021. Rodriguez-Fitzgerald is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his criminal history.
Rodriguez-Fitzgerald faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison when sentenced on August 10, 2022. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, ‘My office is committed to the fight against gun violence and the devastation it is causing in our communities. This case is an example of the level of coordination and resources federal, state, and local law enforcement has to help keep our communities safe. Thanks to ATF for their diligence in investigating this case.”
“Guns obtained through trafficking and straw purchasing, especially by someone who is prohibited from possessing firearms, pose a significant risk to the community,” said ATF Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby. “ATF will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to identify and arrest not only the trigger-pullers, but also those responsible for selling guns illegally.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer K. Welsh is prosecuting the case and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive is investigating the case.
Source: USDOJ