A Rockford man has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for firearms offenses, including possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number and selling firearms without a license.
Angel Barrera-Esteves, 27, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of possessing a firearm with the serial number removed and one count of selling firearms without a federal firearms dealer’s license. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston sentenced Barrera-Esteves to 108 months in prison.
According to court documents, Barrera-Esteves admitted that in 2022 he illegally possessed a semi-automatic handgun that he defaced and later sold. He also admitted that between 2021 and 2022, he sold seven firearms—either manufactured or obtained by him—without having the required federal license. Several of these firearms were obtained illegally through his mother, Jessica Barrera, who purchased them and transferred them to her son. After receiving the guns, Barrera-Esteves removed their serial numbers and sold them to individuals prohibited from owning firearms or likely to use them for illegal purposes. He also sold ammunition acquired through his mother as well as a Glock auto-sear.
Jessica Barrera, 56, was sentenced last month to nearly three years in federal prison for her role in the scheme.
The sentencing was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of ATF’s Chicago Field Division. The Rockford Police Department assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincenza L. Tomlinson represented the government.
“Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to tackle a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses,” according to the announcement.
