A Honduran national pleaded guilty on Dec. 19 to possessing firearms as an illegal alien after a traffic stop in St. Ann, Missouri led police to discover guns and cocaine in his vehicle.
The case highlights the intersection of immigration enforcement and local policing, as well as ongoing efforts to address illegal gun possession.
Esmin Guzman-Euceda, 21, of Woodson Terrace, admitted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis that he was caught with a rifle and a pistol—both reported stolen—along with two baggies of cocaine and $1,208 after being stopped by police on July 7, 2024. According to court documents, officers observed Guzman-Euceda speeding through a pedestrian crossing zone and nearly hitting a family pushing an infant in a stroller before pulling him over.
After stopping Guzman-Euceda for not having a valid driver’s license, police arrested him and found the drugs and weapons inside his vehicle. He told officers he did not know the guns were stolen when he bought them but admitted he knew he could not legally possess firearms due to his immigration status.
Guzman-Euceda faces up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both when sentenced on July 2. The investigation was conducted by the St. Ann Police Department along with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip Voss is prosecuting the case.
