Date: 03-17-2025

Case Style:

United States of America v. Samuel Marquez Villatoro

Case Number:

Judge: Richard A. Lazzara

Court: The United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida

Plaintiff's Attorney: The United States Attorney’s Office for Tampa

Defendant's Attorney:

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Description:

Tampa, Florida criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with Illegally Reentering And Unlawfully Possessing Firearm And Ammunition
Mexican National Sentenced To 45 Months’ Imprisonment For Illegally Reentering And Unlawfully Possessing Firearm And Ammunition

U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara has sentenced Horus Samuel Marquez Villatoro (31) to three years and nine months in federal prison for illegal reentry by a removed alien, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by an alien illegally in the United States. The court also ordered the defendant to forfeit the firearm and ammunition that he illegally possessed. Marquez Villatoro pled guilty on December 18, 2024.

According to court documents, Marquez Villatoro, a citizen of Mexico with no legal status in the United States, was removed from the United States on three previous occasions before reentering unlawfully sometime after 2019. On January 23, 2024, the defendant was found in Hillsborough County driving a car that contained a black Glock 17 9mm pistol, an extended magazine, and over 100 rounds of ammunition. Marquez Villatoro knew that the firearm and ammunition were in the car, and that he was an alien and unlawfully in the United States.

This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey N. Schmidt.

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.

Outcome:

Defendant was found guilty and sentenced to three years and nine months in federal prison

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

Comments: