Reported By Mary Udezue | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Washington, D.C. / Vicksburg, Mississippi — A Nigerian national who entered the United States without legal immigration status has pleaded guilty in federal court to making false statements on federal firearm purchase forms in an attempt to obtain weapons, U.S. authorities announced this week. The case highlights ongoing efforts by U.S. law enforcement to enforce federal firearms and immigration laws under national security and public-safety initiatives.
According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice, Laurel Echezonam, 25, admitted to lying about his immigration status on required firearms purchase paperwork at gun dealers in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Echezonam’s actions, prosecutors said, were aimed at deceiving federal firearms licensees into selling him weapons that he would otherwise be prohibited from acquiring because of his unlawful presence in the country.
Court records show that the defendant entered the United States unlawfully through the southern border in 2022 and later established residence in Mississippi. In June 2024, Echezonam visited firearms dealers on two separate occasions, seeking to purchase guns. On each occasion he completed a federally mandated Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Form 4473 — the form required to record firearm purchases — and provided false information regarding his immigration status.
Federal law makes it a felony to knowingly make false statements on firearm purchase forms, particularly those concerning eligibility to own or purchase guns. Because non-U.S. citizens without lawful status are categorically prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms in the United States, lying about immigration status constituted a serious violation of federal law.
Echezonam was denied the firearms based on his immigration status, and during the encounter, he was apprehended by immigration authorities and subsequently charged in federal court for making false statements in connection with firearms transactions.
On December 15, 2025, Echezonam pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi to the felony charge. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 17, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in federal prison. A judge will determine his sentence after considering federal sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
The prosecution of this case forms part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative aimed at enforcing immigration and public safety laws, combating organised crime, and reducing violent crime across the United States. Law enforcement agencies including the ATF and federal prosecutors collaborated on the case as part of broader efforts to ensure compliance with federal gun laws and to hold accountable those who attempt to circumvent them.
The guilty plea underscores broader challenges in U.S. law enforcement related to firearm access and immigration enforcement. Under U.S. federal law, non-citizens who are unlawfully present in the country are barred from purchasing or possessing firearms and are required to truthfully disclose their immigration status on any federally required form related to firearm acquisition.
The case has drawn attention from both legal and immigrant advocacy communities, which often emphasise due process and fair treatment in such prosecutions. Federal authorities maintain that enforcing these laws is essential to ensuring public safety and upholding the integrity of firearm regulations, particularly in jurisdictions working to push back against illegal gun sales and other crimes linked to unregulated firearms possession.
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