Illegal alien pleads to gun charge
Posted: October 20, 2010 - 10:16am

By Joe Gamm

A man who authorities say was in the country illegally appears to have violated a primary rule of being an illegal alien: keep a low profile.

Armando Portillo-Munoz was seen by witnesses driving an all-terrain vehicle and doing doughnuts in a rodeo arena last July in Dimmitt, according to a federal court filing in Amarillo. According to the filing, Portillo-Munoz had a handgun tucked in his waistband during the episode.

He recently pleaded guilty to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. The incident in Dimmitt occurred July 10.

Witnesses told police that a man was seen driving in the arena, in the 1400 block of Castro County Road 514. Dimmitt police located Portillo-Munoz, whose age was not available, and found a .22-caliber revolver in his possession, according to the court filing.

He told police the handgun was for shooting coyotes. Authorities determined the firearm had been registered in another state. The investigation led authorities to discover that Portillo-Munoz had entered the U.S. illegally a year earlier, court records show.

He faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

http://amarillo.com