Hector Gomez (Chicago police)
CHICAGO - A Mexican man pleaded guilty Monday to a federal gun charge after admitting he fired shots near U.S. Border Patrol agents in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood last fall.
What we know:
Hector Gomez, 46, acknowledged in a plea agreement that he shot at least two rounds from a pistol on Nov. 8, 2025, while driving a Jeep Wrangler near 2541 S. Kedzie Ave., where federal agents were conducting operations as part of "Operation Midway Blitz."
Later that day, Gomez drove to a parking lot near 3132 W. 26th St., got out of his vehicle and brandished the same gun at another person before returning to the Jeep, according to court records. Chicago police responded minutes later and took Gomez into custody and recovered the firearm.
Gomez was previously convicted of possession of a firearm after pleading guilty and was imprisoned for six months, according to court documents. He was prohibited under federal law from having a firearm. He was also arrested back in 2023 for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon/vehicle by Chicago police and was convicted in 2025.
Hector Gomez is seen during his arrest in Little Village on Nov. 8, 2025, for illegal gun possession. (Court records)
Gomez pleaded guilty Monday to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison.
What's next:
Gomez has a sentencing hearing scheduled for July 20.
Authorities said Gomez is a citizen of Mexico who had been living in Chicago and is subject to removal from the United States following the case. He has been removed from the country at least four times between 2008 and 2015.
The Source: The information in this report came from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois and the Chicago Police Department.