Venezuelan Citizen Sentenced for Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm (DOJ)

ALBANY, NEW YORK - Yohandry Jose Molina-Camacho, age 19, a native and citizen of Venezuela illegally in the United States, was sentenced on June 1, 2026, to 8 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.

As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Molina-Camacho admitted that in August 2025, he sold another individual a Hi-Point CF380, .380-caliber pistol in exchange for $500. At the time he possessed the pistol, defendant knew he was an alien who had been illegally residing in the United States for approximately one year. Molina-Camacho also admitted that he knew he was not allowed to possess a firearm.

"Thanks to the previous administrations failed border policies, criminal illegal aliens such as this defendant have been allowed to roam freely in our country," said First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III. "Mr. Molina-Camacho's illegal possession of a firearm serves as a reminder of the risks posed when individuals engage in criminal activity while unlawfully present in this Country. Thanks to the work of the ATF, he will now be held accountable for his actions and will face deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence."

Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives said; "This sentence holds the defendant accountable for knowingly violating federal firearms laws by unlawfully possessing and selling a firearm despite knowing he was prohibited from doing so. When prohibited individuals possess and traffic firearms, they put communities at risk. Thanks to ATF NY Albany, HSI, Albany PD & USAO NDNY. We will continue working to reduce illegal firearm trafficking and protect our communities from gun violence."

ATF investigated this Project Safe Neighborhoods case with Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney A.J Vickey prosecuted this case.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice's violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.