Salvadoran sentenced federal prison for illegally possessing handguns, threatening to kill domestic abuse victim following ERO Chicago, HSI Chicago investigation

INDIANAPOLIS — Ramon Alvarez-Hernandez, 40, of El Salvador, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) investigated the case.

According to court documents, on Feb. 22, IMPD officers were dispatched to investigate a domestic violence incident. Upon arrival, they learned Alvarez-Hernandez punched, choked, and pulled a firearm on the victim, threatening to kill her. Officers observed bruises on the victim’s face and red marks on her neck. Alvarez-Hernandez was not present.

The next day, officers learned that Alvarez-Hernandez threatened to shoot the victim if she cooperated with the police. He also threated the victim’s neighbor and attempted to question the neighbor about his relationship with the victim.

On April 12, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago officers arrested Alvarez-Hernandez during a targeted enforcement operation. Authorities searched him and found two handguns and 19.3 grams of cocaine. Alvaerz-Hernandez is a citizen of El Salvador and is unlawfully present in the United States. Under federal law, people who have not obtained U.S. citizenship and are unlawfully present are prohibited from possessing firearms.

“Research shows that armed domestic abusers pose a profound risk to the safety of those closest to them and to the public at large. Our office, together with IMPD and HSI, will continue to prioritize the LEATH initiative to save the lives of those impacted by domestic violence,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Zachary A. Myers.

U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney II imposed the sentence and ordered that Alvarez-Hernandez be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Zachary A. Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy C. Fugate for prosecuting the case.

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 of Justice 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.

HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’ largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.

As one of ICE’s three operational directorates, ERO is the principal federal law enforcement authority in charge of domestic immigration enforcement. ERO’s mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws, and its primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency’s detained and non-detained populations, and repatriation of noncitizens who have received final orders of removal. ERO’s workforce consists of more than 7,700 law enforcement and non-law enforcement support personnel across 25 domestic field offices and 208 locations nationwide, 30 overseas postings, and multiple temporary duty travel assignments along the border.