Salvadoran national and MS-13 associate convicted for illegally possessing a firearm

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A Salvadoran national was sentenced today to a year in prison for possession of a firearm by an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States.

According to court documents, Oscar Misael Ventura Ventura, 23, unlawfully entered the United States from Mexico near McAllen, Texas. On Feb. 10, 2022, Fairfax County Police (FCPD) officers responded to a report that a group of men outside an apartment complex had guns. As officers arrived, the men fled. After a short pursuit, officers detained Ventura and recovered a stolen handgun from his waistband. The following year, FCPD found Ventura with another handgun in his waistband, along with 23 fentanyl pills in his pocket. By his own admission, Ventura is an MS-13 associate.

Ventura is subject to removal from the United States.

"Oscar Ventura did not enter the United States to pursue a lawful and productive life," said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. "He immediately associated himself with one of the most dangerous gangs in America and began illegally carrying a stolen firearm. We are committed to eradicating MS-13 and its associates from the Eastern District of Virginia and removing those who choose to ignore our laws and endanger our citizens."

"Individuals who are in our country illegally and choose to associate with violent gangs and unlawfully carry firearms represent a serious and unacceptable threat to our communities," said Christopher Heck, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, Washington, D.C. "Homeland Security Investigations remains committed to our unrelenting protection of the United States by investigating and dismantling violent transnational criminal organizations and holding criminal illegal aliens accountable through arrest and prosecution. HSI will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney's Office to safeguard the public and disrupt the criminal networks that fuel violence in our cities"

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc J. Birnbaum and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Coulter Goodman prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-94.