Feds take up case of illegal immigrant charged with weapons offenses

A 21-year-old man residing in the country illegally had firearms, ammunition and forgery charges withdrawn Feb. 21 by the Chesterfield commonwealth attorney’s office, with the case scheduled to be picked up by the U.S. attorney’s office.

Carlos Maurice Azucar Menjivar was arrested Sept. 25 at the Moore’s Lake area off Jefferson Davis Highway. A blue Chevrolet sport utility vehicle that he was driving displayed a tag in the windshield that belonged to an Acura owned by a woman, a court document states.

Menjivar had been charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, possession of a firearm by a non-violent felon (attempted armed robbery), possession of ammunition and four counts of forgery.

Police officer B. Schilke told Menjivar that he was trespassing, Schilke said in the court document, adding that officer Brandon Rosenthal spotted a firearm in a backpack in the vehicle’s rear cargo area. Schilke also found a wallet with $216. He noted that, while on the way to the jail, Menjivar “talked about the ‘big fish,’ referring to where he purchased firearms.”

Schilke said he intended to obtain a search warrant for Menjivar’s phone. “[We] both know that there is information on this phone about you selling firearms and purchasing firearms,” Schilke said, adding that Menjivar nodded “yes.”

Menjivar listed an address of 9325 Quinnford Blvd. and identified himself to Schilke as “Carlos Martinez,” a court document states.

Menjivar said that he had been living in Chesterfield for nine years, and had a mother, brothers and cousins here, and was on probation when arrested in September.

A federal grand jury indicted Menjivar in January for possession of a firearm by a felon with additional charges expected, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The indictment said Menjivar had a Glock semiautomatic pistol, an H&K semiautomatic pistol, a Rossi revolver and a Bersa semiautomatic pistol.

Menjivar was convicted in September 2015 in Chesterfield of attempted robbery for an offense that occurred when he was 17. He was tried as an adult and sentenced to 10 years with 7 years and six months suspended, according to the daily newspaper.