Gallatin Gateway man unlawfully in the country admits illegal possession of firearm

MISSOULA — A Gallatin Gateway man accused of illegally possessing firearms and ammunition because he was in the United States unlawfully admitted to a firearms charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Oscar Enrique Ruiz Rojas, 25, pleaded guilty to prohibited person in possession of firearms and ammunition. Rojas faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Sentencing was set for Dec. 18 before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Rojas was detained pending further proceedings. 

In court documents, the government alleged that law enforcement was investigating Rojas for cocaine distribution and observed him outside his house with a pistol on his hip on two days in April. On April 24, law enforcement served a search warrant on his residence and located several firearms and ammunition. Rojas admitted that he had been in the United States illegally for the past six years after crossing the southern border at Nogales, Arizona. Rojas further stated that he had purchased a .22-caliber firearm for $400 from an individual.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation.

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 Department 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.

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