Mario Gonzalez, a 43-year-old resident of Manteca, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Eric Grant.
Court documents indicate that the incident leading to Gonzalez’s arrest occurred on December 17, 2019. Law enforcement officers responded to a call from Gonzalez regarding the improper towing of his truck. Before arriving at the scene, officers discovered that Gonzalez had an active felony warrant for his arrest. Upon arrival, they took him into custody.
An inventory search of Gonzalez’s truck before it was towed led officers to find a loaded revolver and additional rounds of ammunition inside a toolbox in the vehicle. Due to previous felony convictions for domestic violence and for being a felon in possession of a firearm, Gonzalez is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Manteca Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Conolly prosecuted the case.
“This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN,” according to the statement.
