A Mexican national has been sentenced to 12 months in prison for firearm possession and illegal re-entry into the United States. Erik Sel Camacho-Lara, aged 31, was arrested by the Ridgeland Police Department after officers responded to a call from a minor child reporting that Camacho-Lara was armed and had possibly discharged a firearm inside their home.
Upon arrival at the scene, officers entered the residence where they found Camacho-Lara holding a handgun. After initial communication with law enforcement, he surrendered the weapon and was taken into custody. The investigation was then taken over by the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which confirmed through biometric verification that Camacho-Lara had previously been deported on April 2, 2013.
Camacho-Lara pleaded guilty to both charges on March 6, 2025. The announcement of his sentencing was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Eric P. DeLaune, Special Agent-in-Charge for HSI in New Orleans.
The case was investigated by HSI with assistance from the Ridgeland Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Goff. It forms part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative under President Trump’s Executive Order 14159 aimed at addressing illegal immigration and associated criminal activities through coordinated efforts between various federal agencies.
