Federal authorities have indicted four individuals in Asheville on federal firearms and immigration charges as part of Operation Take Back America, a national effort targeting violent crime, illegal immigration, and transnational criminal organizations.
U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced that a grand jury returned indictments against several defendants. Among those charged is Justin Allen Owenby, 27, of Asheville, who faces allegations of unlawfully possessing a Glock 48, 9mm pistol despite prior felony convictions. Gregory Lee Pettit, 51, of Candler, N.C., is charged with possessing an unregistered grenade and possession of a firearm by an unlawful user addicted to a controlled substance.
William Stanley Ellwood, 38, of Cherokee, N.C., was indicted for possession of an unregistered firearm silencer and for receiving and possessing a silencer not identified by a serial number. Rafael Martinez-Reano, 35, of Rutherfordton, N.C., faces charges related to illegal reentry into the United States after being deported twice previously—on December 31, 2018 and April 13, 2018 at or near Hildago, Texas.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasized that the charges are only allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
“In making today’s announcement,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson,”U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and Emergency Removal Operations, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, the North Carolian Department of Public Safety Alcohol Law Enforcement, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office,and the Cherokee Indian Police Department for their respective investigations that led to the charges.”
The cases will be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville.
Operation Take Back America is described as “a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs),and protect our communities from perpetrators of violent crime.” The operation brings together efforts from programs such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
