A Guatemalan immigrant who police accused of helping plan a mass shooting in Virginia’s capital on July 4 pleaded guilty Thursday to an immigration charge.
A federal judge accepted Rolman Balcárcel Bavagas’ plea to one count of re-entering the United States following being deported and he will be sentenced on November 10, according to a report in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The 38-year-old defendant faces up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Neither Balcárcel Bavagas nor a co-defendant, Julio Alvarado Dubón, have been charged in direct connection with the alleged shooting plot, and a federal prosecutor made no mention of it Thursday, according to the newspaper.
During a press conference on July 6, police reported that a planned Independence Day shooting had been foiled and announced the arrest of the suspects. Police Chief Gerald Smith said a “heroic citizen” contacted police following overhearing a conversation that an attack was being planned.
Federal prosecutors took up the case a few weeks ago at the request of Richmond District Attorney Colette McEachin.
According to a government statement of facts in the immigration case, Balcárcel Bavagas is a Guatemalan citizen who resides illegally in the United States and who had been expelled from the country twice. He was allowed to voluntarily leave the United States in 2013 and was deported a year later, according to court documents.
Alvarado Dubón has been charged with being a non-US citizen in possession of a firearm. Court records did not indicate when his next appearance will be.
