DOJ Seal

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney's Office
Middle District of Florida

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Maria Chapa Lopez
, United States Attorney
Contact: William Daniels

Lehigh Acres Man Sentenced to Twelve Years on Drug and Firearm Charges

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sherri Polster Chappell has sentenced Alejo Guerrero (36, Lehigh Acres) to 12 years in federal prison for multiple firearms and controlled substance offenses.

According to court documents, federal and state authorities conducted multiple operations in 2016 and 2017 during which Guerrero sold cocaine and firearms, including an AK-47-type pistol with high capacity magazines, to an informant. Guerrero also armed himself during the transactions, once flashing a gun tucked into his waistband to explain why he wasn’t worried about bystanders witnessing a deal. In October 2017, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on his Lehigh Acres home and found Guerrero, his girlfriend and an infant child, a stash of cocaine, thousands of dollars in cash, a bulletproof vest, and a .357 revolver inside the home. The Court ordered Guerrero to forfeit the cash to the United States as proceeds of his criminal activity.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In October 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to develop districtwide crime reduction strategies, incorporating the lessons learned since the program’s inception in 2001. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.

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Tampa Field Division