MEDFORD, Ore. — A 27-year-old Mexican national who was unlawfully residing in the United States has pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing a firearm as an illegal alien and making false statements while purchasing firearms, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced.
According to federal prosecutors, Samuel Rodrigo Melo Santos admitted to possessing firearms illegally and providing false information on federal firearm purchase forms as part of a firearms trafficking investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Court documents state that the investigation began in July 2025 when ATF investigators conducted a compliance inspection at a federally licensed firearms dealer in Cave Junction. During the inspection, agents reviewed ATF Form 4473 firearm transaction records and identified repeated purchases of the same make and model of firearms by several individuals using addresses in O’Brien and Medford, patterns investigators said were consistent with firearms trafficking.
Investigators also found that Melo Santos and several co-defendants listed Mexico as their place of birth on ATF Form 4473 but falsely claimed to be U.S. citizens. A subsequent immigration records check determined that the individuals had no legal immigration status and were unlawfully residing in the United States.
According to prosecutors, Melo Santos told investigators he purchased firearms and sold them to anyone, including individuals prohibited from legally owning guns. Between May 2024 and July 2025, he purchased 91 firearms for approximately $56,448 and acquired 40,000 rounds of ammunition. Authorities said one of the firearms was later recovered in Mexico.
As part of his plea agreement, Melo Santos agreed to forfeit criminal proceeds and any property used to facilitate the offenses identified by the government before sentencing.
He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for October 9, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Michael McShane.
Melo Santos and three co-defendants — Samuel Amador Ortega, Aldo Melo Amador, and Oscar Amador Ortega — first appeared in federal court on Dec. 18, 2025. The three co-defendants remain awaiting trial.
The ATF is investigating the case with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Judith Harper is prosecuting the case.
The prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through coordinated law enforcement efforts and community partnerships.
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