FRESNO - A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Mario Alberto Rangel, 28, of Fresno, charging him with unlawfully possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony crime, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on Oct. 22, 2019, law enforcement officers attempted to stop Rangel for a traffic violation, but he failed to yield and fled in the vehicle at a high rate of speed. Out of concern for public safety, the officers ceased their pursuit but continued to drive in the direction that the vehicle had last been seen.
Moments later, officers came upon a multiple vehicle collision involving Rangel’s vehicle. Rangel had exited his car and fled on foot but was eventually arrested. A loaded shotgun was found in the back seat of the vehicle that Rangel abandoned. Rangel is prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior criminal record.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Rangel faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
