U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney's Office
Western District of Texas
Johnny Sutton, U.S. Attorney
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | Shana Jones, Special Assistant Daryl Fields, Public Information Officer (210) 384-7440 |
| February 3, 2006 |
United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that Gilberto Munoz Minjarez, 55, of Odessa, Texas, faces up to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Appearing before United States Magistrate Judge L. Stuart Platt this morning, Minjarez admitted that he possessed a Mauser 30-30 rifle on October 5, 2005. Minjarez further admitted that he had been previously convicted in state court in Ector County for a variety of crimes including: attempted murder, rape, and drug possession.
The case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI West Texas Area Major Offenders Task Force (WAMO) which is comprised of federal agents and local detectives who work together to investigate violent criminals in the Permian Basin area. On October 5, 2005, authorities executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence where they discovered the firearm.
Minjarez remains in federal custody pending sentencing. A sentencing date has yet to be scheduled.
Assistant United States Attorney Glenn Roque-Jackson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.