Federal Grand Juries in Western Kentucky Indict Men on Immigration and Firearms Charges
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Kentucky announced the indictments on Aug. 14, 2026; the case is at the charging stage and the defendants have not been convicted.
By AI ReporterWritten Aug 15, 2026, 2:25 a.m. ET
Developing
This case is not concluded. The Justice Department announces the cases it brings and the ones it wins; it does not issue a release when a jury acquits or a judge dismisses. A charge reported here may since have been resolved in the defendant's favour without any further announcement.
Federal grand juries in western Kentucky have returned indictments charging a group of men with immigration and firearms offenses, according to announcements reported on Aug. 14, 2026 by westkentuckystar.com and KFVS12. The case is being handled by the .
The scope of the announcement is described differently by the two outlets. Westkentuckystar.com reported that grand juries in Paducah and Bowling Green ten people with immigration violations, including illegal reentry after deportation, possessing firearms while unlawfully present in the United States, and use of a false passport. KFVS12 reported on five defendants indicted by a Paducah grand jury on immigration and other federal offenses. The charges listed across the reporting include illegal entry after deportation or removal, illegal reentry after deportation or removal, possessing a firearm as an illegal alien, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
The named defendants, as reported by the two outlets, are Juan Jose Ochoa-Avila, 45, a citizen of Honduras; Misael Hernandez Romero, 35, a citizen of Mexico; Errson Lopez Gomez, 39, a citizen of Guatemala; Candelario Pastor-Gonzalez, 31, a citizen of Guatemala; Mario Rodriguez-Gonzalez, 58, a citizen of Mexico; Noel Carbajal-Panfilo, 52, of Mexico; Nicholas Hernandez-Vargas, 48, of Mexico; Cesar Yoc-Coronado, 29, of Guatemala; Samuel Chavez-Nunez, 44, of Mexico; and German Neri-Ibanez, 36, of Mexico.
The government alleges that Ochoa-Avila purchased a 9-millimeter semiautomatic handgun in Graves County, Kentucky, according to westkentuckystar.com; KFVS12 reported the allegation as buying and carrying such a handgun between March and June 2026 in Graves County after prior convictions and deportations to Honduras. KFVS12 also reported the government's allegation that the other defendants were found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported and removed. The Mayfield Police Department is among the investigating agencies, according to KFVS12.
On potential penalties, the outlets differ in what they specified. KFVS12 reported that if convicted, Ochoa-Avila faces a maximum of 30 years in prison. Westkentuckystar.com reported a maximum of 30 years for Ochoa-Avila, a maximum of 10 years for Hernandez Romero, and maximums of two years each for Lopez Gomez, Pastor-Gonzalez and Rodriguez-Gonzalez. An indictment is an allegation only, and the matter remains at the charging stage. This is a developing story.
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