INDIANAPOLIS - Ramon Alvarez-Hernandez, 40, of El Salvador has been sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien.According to court documents, on February 22, 2023, IMPD officers were dispatched to investigate a domestic violence incident. Upon arrival, officers learned Alvarez-Hernandez punched, choked, and pulled a firearm on the victim, threatening to kill her. Officers observed bruises on the victim’s face and red marks on her neck. Alvarez-Hernandez was not present at this time.The next day, officers learned that Alvarez-Hernandez threatened to shoot the victim if she cooperated with the police. Alvarez-Hernandez also threatened the victim’s neighbor and attempted to question the neighbor about his relationship with the victim.On April 12, 2023, Alvarez-Hernandez was arrested on an outstanding warrant during a traffic stop. Officers searched his person and located a two handguns and 19.3 grams of cocaine. Alvaerz-Hernandez is a citizen of El Salvador, and not lawfully present in the United States. Under federal law, individuals who have not obtained citizenship in the United States and are present without lawful status are prohibited from possessing firearms.

Greyscale image of person pointing a gun at viewer; image by Max Kleinen, via Unsplash.com.

“Research shows that armed domestic abusers pose a profound risk to the safety of those closest to them and to the public at large. Our office, together with IMPD and HSI, will continue to prioritize the LEATH initiative to save the lives of those impacted by domestic violence,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers.Homeland Security Investigations and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney II. Judge Sweeney also ordered that Alvarez-Hernandez be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison.U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy C. Fugate, who prosecuted this case.This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.This case was brought as part of the LEATH Initiative (Law Enforcement Action to Halt Domestic Violence), named in honor of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Officer Breann Leath, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic disturbance call.  A partnership among the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the IMPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, the LEATH Initiative focuses federal, state, and local law enforcement resources on domestic violence offenders who illegally possess firearms.