Illegal Alien from Guatemala Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Being an Alien in Possession of a Firearm and Felon in Possession of a Firearm

LITTLE ROCK-Juan Carlos Contreras-Najarro will spend the next 48 months in federal prison after being convicted of being an alien in possession of a firearm and felon in possession of a firearm. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge D. P. Marshall, Jr.

On March 5, 2024, Contreras-Najarro, 32, of Guatemala, but residing in Little Rock, was indicted by a federal grand jury in a two-count Indictment on being an alien in possession of a firearm and felon in possession of a firearm. Contreras-Najarro pleaded guilty on January 21, 2025, to both counts in the Indictment. Judge Marshall also sentenced Contreras-Najarro to three years' supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

An investigation revealed that on January 20, 2024, officers from the Little Rock Police Department observed a stolen Honda driven by Contreras-Najarro and conducted a traffic stop. Officers asked Contreras-Najarro if the stolen vehicle belonged to him and Contreras-Najarro told officers the vehicle was "given to him." During a search of Contreras-Najarro's person, officers located a bag containing a small amount of methamphetamine. In the vehicle officers located a defaced Lorcin .380 caliber firearm between the console and driver's seat. Officers also located in the trunk of the vehicle a suitcase containing three glass smoking devices and located a bag of marijuana inside a jacket on the passenger seat, two credit cards belonging to two victims, and five individual checks belonging to five separate victims. A further investigation revealed that Contreras-Najarro was a convicted felon who entered the United States illegally approximately 13 or 14 years ago.

Contreras-Najarro's criminal history includes felony convictions for possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with purpose to deliver, possession of fentanyl with purpose to deliver, possession of hydrocodone with purpose to deliver, and second-degree forgery.

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, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The investigation was conducted by the United States Department of Homeland Security with assistance from the Little Rock Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shelby Shelton.

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United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

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