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Fernando Bahena Ruiz Pleads Guilty to Reentry and Firearm Charges

A Mexican citizen in Virginia has pleaded guilty to federal firearm and illegal reentry charges following a March 2026 gunfire incident.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 20, 2026, 9:00 a.m. ET
According to official records from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Virginia, 28-year-old Mexican citizen Fernando Bahena Ruiz guilty on August 10, 2026, to illegally reentering the United States after a prior removal and unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon and illegal alien. The developing case remains open. Official records state that several people called 911 on March 25, 2026, to report gunfire in a Danville, Virginia neighborhood. One caller saw muzzle flashes from Bahena Ruiz's backyard. Arriving officers observed Bahena Ruiz carrying a gun before he went inside his house. After taking him into custody, law enforcement executed a search warrant and found a handgun, magazines, ammunition, and fraudulent immigration documents, including a green card and Social Security Card with false names. Officers also discovered at least 71 spent shell casings on his back porch and peyote plants containing mescaline in his basement. First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and Special Agent in Charge Eric Weindorf of Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C. announced the guilty plea. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Danville Police Department, and Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman is prosecuting the case.

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  1. Version 120 Aug 2026, 13:00current

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