JACKSON, Miss. – A Nigerian national unlawfully present in the United States pleaded guilty this week to making false statements on a federal form while attempting to purchase a firearm, a felony that carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison.
Laurel Echezonam, 25, entered his guilty plea on Monday, December 15, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. According to court documents, Echezonam entered the country illegally via the U.S. southern border in 2022 and was residing in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that on June 7 and June 8, 2024, Echezonam traveled to two separate licensed firearms dealers in an attempt to purchase a weapon. During each transaction, he was required to complete ATF Form 4473, which includes the question: “Are you an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States?” Prosecutors said Echezonam falsely answered “no” in an attempt to deceive the dealers.
The attempted purchases were denied following a National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) review, which flagged his unlawful immigration status. His actions led to an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and his subsequent apprehension by immigration officials.
Echezonam is scheduled to be sentenced on March 17, 2026. A federal judge will determine his final sentence after considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lynn Murray and C. Brett Grantham.
United States Attorney Baxter Kruger and ATF Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson announced the guilty plea. The case falls under “Operation Take Back America,” a nationwide Department of Justice initiative focused on illegal immigration, transnational crime, and violent crime.