Guilty verdict for illegal immigrant charged with multiple crimes
An illegal immigrant living in Pontiac was convicted of drug trafficking and firearms crimes on Nov. 7 in federal court.
At the conclusion of a four-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds, Edgar RangelTapia, 27, was found guilty of possessing cocaine and marijuana with the intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a fire- arm by a person who is unlawfully in the United States.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office — Eastern District of Michigan, federal deportation officers came upon Rangel-Tapia at a Pontiac home while executing a search warrant for documents in April 2021. Rangel-Tapia was the only person in the residence at the time.
After the officers reportedly found a safe filled with drugs and cash, as well as a shotgun in the home, the FBI was called in and executed a second search warrant for drugs, firearms and related materials. The FBI recovered more than $9,000 cash, hand-held scales commonly used in drug sales, another firearm and ammunition, drug packaging materials and Rangel- Tapia’s cell phone, which reportedly contained text messages linked to drug transactions.
Rangel-Tapia faces at least five years in prison and up to life in prison when he’s sentenced, likely sometime next year.