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Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Charge in Oklahoma

A Mexican national unlawfully present in Oklahoma has pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition in a developing case.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 18, 2026, 12:31 p.m. ET
On August 17, 2026, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Martin Aranda Zavala, 29, guilty to one count of illegal alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Zavala, also known as Martin Misael Aranda Zavala, is a Mexican national unlawfully present in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. The developing case remains open as sentencing is pending. According to official records from the U.S. Attorney's Office, the indictment alleged that on May 6, 2026, Zavala possessed one semi-automatic pistol and 15 rounds of ammunition, knowing he was illegally in the United States. The charge is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The case stems from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Okmulgee County Sheriff's Office as part of Operation Take Back America. U.S. Magistrate Judge Jason A. Robertson accepted the plea in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma and ordered a presentence investigation report. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chuck Sullivan represented the United States. Official court records state that Zavala remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing by a U.S. District Court judge.

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  1. Version 118 Aug 2026, 16:31current

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