A 27-year-old Alamo resident pleaded guilty to illegally possessing two rifles, according to a Friday news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Southern District of Texas.

Hector Tellez-Hernandez faces up to 15 years in prison, the release stated.

As a convicted felon, Tellez-Hernandez was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition, according to the release.

In March 2015, Tellez-Hernandez was convicted of human smuggling after pleading guilty to trying to transport 24 undocumented individuals, court records show.

According to a criminal complaint, Tellez-Hernandez was arrested on February 27, 2015, after Border Patrol agents spotted him driving a Ford F-250 south of Alamo along a canal. Multiple subjects were then loaded into the truck, the complaint added.

Agents attempted to pull the vehicle over, but Tellez-Hernandez drove off, leading to a police pursuit where Tellez-Hernandez drove up to 90 miles per hour before coming to a stop, according to the complaint.

Tellez-Hernandez and 24 undocumented individuals were apprehended. According to the complaint, Tellez-Hernandez told a Border Patrol he was being paid $1,500 for transporting the individuals.

Court records show Tellez-Hernandez was sentenced to 54 months in prison and three years of supervised release after accepting a plea deal.

Tellez-Hernnadez returned to federal court on May 14, when he was indicted on charges of illegally owning the firearms that law enforcement officers found at his home.

According to the release, law enforcement officers were at the home after learning of the presence of narcotics there. The news release states two rifles, body armor and 16 grams of cocaine were at the home.

Tellez-Hernandez will remain in federal custody pending his sentencing, which is set for Oct. 16, 2024.