Tampa, FL – A Mexican national, Pedro Antunez-Galarza, 43, has been sentenced to 46 months in federal prison by Senior U.S. District Judge Richard Lazzara for illegally reentering the United States after deportation for an aggravated felony. Antunez-Galarza also faced charges for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing fraudulent identification documents, including a false Permanent Resident card and Social Security card. As part of the ruling, the court ordered the forfeiture of a Smith & Wesson M&P 40 Shield handgun and ammunition linked to the offenses.
On the day of his sentencing, Antunez-Galarza confessed to committing additional legal infractions. Consequently, Senior U.S. District Judge Charlene Honeywell sentenced him to an additional 10 months in federal prison, to be served consecutively with the previous sentence.
Antunez-Galarza’s legal troubles began after he was deported in 2020 following a conviction for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. He was deported again in 2021 and 2022. However, on July 19, 2024, he was apprehended by deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. The incident occurred in the early morning when deputies attempted to stop him for riding a bicycle without lights. Antunez-Galarza fled, but upon being caught, he reached for his waistband before being arrested.
A search revealed that he was carrying a loaded, stolen Smith & Wesson M&P 40 Shield, along with a Social Security card and a Permanent Resident card under the alias “Tony Garcia,” both of which were fraudulent. His fingerprints confirmed his identity and history of deportations. Further investigation by immigration officers confirmed that he had not been granted permission to reenter the United States.
Antunez-Galarza was arrested on October 18, 2024, at which time he admitted to paying a smuggler to facilitate his illegal return to the U.S. and acknowledged illegal possession of the firearm.
The investigation was a collaborative effort involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.
