Pueblo man sentenced to 5 years in federal prison on felony weapons charges

DENVER (KRDO) – A Pueblo man hs been sentenced to 5 years in federal prison followed with 3 years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  

On Tuesday, United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn announced that 32-year-old, Maximillian Zeferino Esquibel, of Pueblo, was sentenced to serve 58 months (nearly 5 years) in federal prison, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.   

According to court documents and facts presented at trial, on August 9, 2019, law enforcement agents and officers executed a search warrant at Esquibel’s home. During the search investigators found four firearms, including an AR-15 style rifle, with the safety in the “fire” position, loaded with an extended magazine that contained multiple rounds of live ammunition, despite children being in the home.  According to investigators, three other firearms and over 100 rounds of ammunition were also seized by agents.  According to Dunn, Esquibel had a prior felony conviction for aggravated robbery in Pueblo in 2006, making it illegal for him to possess any firearms.

“Reducing gun crime in Pueblo has been a focus of this office and the Safe Streets Task Force for several years now,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn.  “This case is just one example of how, working with the Pueblo Police Department and the District Attorney’s office, we are clearly having a significant impact.”