Source: Office of United States Attorneys
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MILTON RAYO CASTILLO (“RAYO CASTILLO”), age 26, a native of Costa Rica, was sentenced on January 28. 2025 by United States District Judge Wendy Vitter, for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(5)(A). RAYO CATILLO was sentenced to fifty-two (52) months incarceration, supervised release for three (3) years, and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to the indictment, on or about March 10, 2024, RAYO CASTILLO, an alien illegally present in the United States, was found in possession of a nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, after brandishing the weapon at a patron at a Kenner, Louisiana restaurant.
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 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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security and the Kenner Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.