A Nigerian national in the United States has pleaded guilty in a federal court to making false statements while attempting to purchase a firearm.
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) disclosed on Friday, December 19, that the defendant, Laurel Echezonam, 25, entered the U.S. unlawfully through the southern border in 2022 and was later identified by immigration authorities as a Nigerian without legal permission to remain in the country.
Court records showed that on June 7 and June 8, 2024, Echezonam travelled from his residence in Vicksburg, Mississippi, to separate firearms dealers in a bid to acquire a weapon.
According to the DOJ, Echezonam provided false information about his immigration status on the mandatory firearms purchase forms in an attempt to deceive the dealers into completing the sale.
He was, however, denied the purchase after his immigration status was flagged and was subsequently apprehended by U.S. immigration officials.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is investigating the case, while Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lynn Murray and C. Brett Grantham are handling the prosecution.
The DOJ stated that Echezonam pleaded guilty on Monday, December 15, at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 17, 2026, and faces a maximum prison term of up to 10 years.
The department added that 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 DOJ initiative targeting immigration violations, organised crime and violent offences.
