A Nigerian national residing in the United States without legal authorization has pleaded guilty in federal court to making false statements while attempting to purchase firearms, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Friday.
Court records indicate that 25-year-old Laurel Echezonam entered the United States unlawfully through the southern border in 2022. Immigration officials later determined that she did not have approval to remain in the country.
The DOJ said that on June 7 and 8, 2024, Echezonam travelled from her residence in Vicksburg, Mississippi, to multiple firearms dealers in an attempt to purchase a weapon.
“When Echezonam completed the required firearms purchase form, she made false statements regarding her immigration status to deceive the firearms dealer into selling her the firearms,” the DOJ statement said.
Officials added that Echezonam was denied the firearms because of her immigration status and was subsequently apprehended by immigration authorities.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case, while Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lynn Murray and C. Brett Grantham are prosecuting.
Echezonam pleaded guilty on Monday, December 15, in a federal court in the Southern District of Mississippi. She is scheduled to be sentenced on March 17, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of up to ten years in prison. The final sentence will be determined by a federal judge after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case falls under Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative aimed at enforcing immigration law and combating organized and violent crime.
Yetunde Kolawole ✔
Godwin Okafor is the Publisher & CEO of Naija247news Media Group LLC, an independent investigative news platform delivering accurate, data-driven reporting on Nigerian and global politics, economy, finance, and business. Founded in October 2010, Naija247news specializes in developmental journalism, providing timely insights and analysis to readers across Nigeria and the diaspora.
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