Kern County Man Sentenced to Over 7 Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition

FRESNO, Calif. — Francisco Javier Melgoza, 41, of Delano, was sentenced today to seven years and eight months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on June 25, 2021, during a traffic stop, a law enforcement officer searched Melgoza’s bag and found a handgun with five rounds and a high-capacity magazine. Melgoza is prohibited from possessing ammunition because he has five prior felony convictions, including for grand theft auto, vehicle theft, possession of a controlled substance for sale, and two convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Melgoza was on probation at the time of the crime.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Shafter Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arin C. Heinz 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.