PALMETTO, Fla. – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced Friday an indictment charging Hilario Diaz-Velazquez, 32, of Mexico, with illegal reentry after deportation and possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.
If convicted, Diaz-Velazquez faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.
According to court records, the charges stem from an incident on March 30, 2025, when the Palmetto Police Department responded to a call regarding shots fired on 14th Street in Palmetto.
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An officer on scene reportedly witnessed gunshots coming from a vehicle, leading to the arrest of its occupants, including Diaz-Velazquez.
Two firearms were seized from the vehicle at the time of the arrests, which were initially made on state charges.
A subsequent review of Diaz-Velazquez’s immigration history revealed he had been previously deported from the United States on November 26, 2012.
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This case falls under the umbrella of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and safeguarding communities from violent crime.
Operation Take Back America integrates resources and efforts from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) programs.
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