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RESTON, Va. - A man illegally in the United States and already facing a state murder charge in Fairfax County has now been charged federally with firearm possession following a deadly shooting in Reston, according to prosecutors.
What we know:
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced that a 23-year-old Salvadoran national has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with possession of a firearm while unlawfully present in the United States.
According to the complaint, the man entered the U.S. in September 2016.
The federal charge stems from a Dec. 17 incident in Reston, where Fairfax County police responded to a call at a residence and found a person dead with apparent gunshot wounds.
Prosecutors say video footage appears to show the suspect fleeing the residence. Police later located and arrested him, and authorities allege he was in possession of a firearm at the time.
State charges
The suspect is currently being held in state custody on a charge of second-degree murder, according to prosecutors. That case is being handled separately from the federal charge.
Federal case details
If convicted on the federal firearm charge, the suspect could face up to 10 years in prison, prosecutors said. Any sentence would be determined by a federal judge after considering sentencing guidelines and other factors.
The case will proceed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Investigators from federal, state and local agencies are involved.
The Source: This article was written using information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.