U.S. Department of Justice
William W. Mercer
United States Attorney
District of Montana

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 7, 2007

Contact: Jessica T. Fehr
Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana
(406) 247- 4637

MEXICAN NATIONAL PLEADS GUILTY TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AND FIREARMS POSSESSION

Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Missoula on June 7, 2007, before Chief U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, FRANCISCO DURAN-ESTRADA, a 34-year-old resident of Mexico, pled guilty to illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien and being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Sentencing is set for October 18, 2007. He is currently detained.

In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

On March 10, 2007, a Montana Highway Patrol officer contacted DURAN-ESTRADA at the scene of a one-vehicle accident near Arlee. DURAN-ESTRADA, who was the driver of the vehicle, was found in possession of an alien resident or “greenâ€