TAMPA, Fla. — A federal grand jury has indicted Aristeo Ceron-Morales, 48, of Sarasota, on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and illegal reentry into the United States, according to an announcement Thursday from U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe.
Ceron-Morales, a previously convicted felon and undocumented immigrant, faces up to 17 years in federal prison if convicted on both counts. The indictment also states the government intends to forfeit a Sig Sauer P226 handgun, a Savage .410 shotgun, and quantities of Hornady 9mm and Remington .38 ammunition allegedly linked to the offenses.
According to court documents, Ceron-Morales was convicted in 2002 of a sex offense involving a child and was deported from the U.S. in 2003. Despite his prior removal, authorities say he illegally reentered the country and was later found in possession of firearms and ammunition, which is prohibited under federal law due to his criminal record and immigration status.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations, and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Bradenton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abigail K. King is prosecuting the case.
The charges are part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling transnational criminal organizations, and reducing violent crime through coordinated federal law enforcement efforts.
An indictment is a formal accusation. Ceron-Morales is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
