A federal judge in Illinois sentenced a previously deported Mexican illegal immigrant to 18 months in federal prison for re-entering the country and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Federal law prohibits illegal immigrants from possessing a weapon and the penalty is a felony under U.S. law. A criminal illegal immigrant can be charged and convicted under more than one subsection of the federal firearms statute. An offender can be charged with possessing a weapon as an illegal immigrant, but they can also be charged if he or she is: a convicted felon, a fugitive from justice, unlawful users or addicts of controlled substances, or a mental defective. The penalty is up to 10 years in prison and a fine.

The judge sentenced 32-year-old Edwin Vergara-Cedillo on Thursday for unlawfully possessing a handgun and ammunition at the time of his arrest. In July, O’Fallon police officers in Illinois arrested Vergara-Cedillo for violating an order of protection.

Vergara-Cedillo has been in federal custody since last summer. In November, he pleaded guilty to this charge and the charge of illegal re-entry after deportation.

Last Thursday, a federal judge sentenced him to prison for 18 months. He will likely be removed to Mexico following the completion of his prison term.

Breitbart Texas reported a few days ago that officials in Leake County, Mississippi, arrested and charged two Mexican nationals with felonies for being illegal immigrants in possession of weapons. The police were called to the area after someone reported that illegal immigrants were “periodically firing shots.”

Mississippi officers also charged a three-time deported Mexican citizen for impersonating a federal agent. When they arrested 24-year-old Manuel Cardenas Pardo, he possessed a black shirt with the word “POLICE” printed on it. Leake County Sheriff’s Office deputies and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers stopped him as he drove his dark gray Dodge Charger equipped with a blue light in the windshield, and a siren, and a dash cam. Cardenas Pardo also had a badge that said “U.S. Agent” and a “law enforcement type gun belt.”

“It would be very probable that he would be targeting Hispanic decent people, maybe even other illegals knowing that they would not report it if he did,” Leake County Sheriff Greg Waggoner told reporters. “This has happened in the past according to the federal agents.”

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX, Gab, and Facebook.