CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 54-year-old Corpus Christi man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Fabian Garcia Ramos pleaded guilty Dec. 2, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos sentenced Ramos to a 180-month term of imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard that a motorist was placed in fear of his life – seeing Ramos with a rifle pointed at his vehicle followed by a gunshot. In handing down the sentence today, the court determined Ramos to an armed career criminal.
On April 30, 2021, law enforcement received reports of gunshots fired towards heavy traffic on U.S. Highway 181 near Portland and responded to the scene. There, they found Ramos nearby in a vehicle. He attempted to flee, but authorities stopped him after a short pursuit.
Upon searching his vehicle, they found cocaine, U.S. currency, over 160 rounds of ammunition, two rifles and one loaded .380 caliber pistol. The Remington rifle was also in violation of federal firearms regulations for a shortened barrel.
Ramos had previously been convicted in state court for numerous felonies, including aggravated robbery and burglaries. As such, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Portland Police Department and Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Reid Manning prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.