Spokane, Washington – United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Alondra Yanez, age 25, of Othello, Washington, to 46 months in federal prison after Yanez had pleaded guilty on December 14, 2022 to being a Felon in Possession of Firearms. Judge Rice ordered that Yanez’s 46 month federal sentence be served consecutively to a 12 month sentence for theft in the second degree imposed by the Adams County, Washington, Superior Court. Yanez will also serve three years of supervised release after her release from confinement.

According to court documents, on February 24, 2021, a co-defendant, Guillermo Valdez, participated in a residential burglary in Spokane County, Washington, during which Valdez stole eleven firearms. Yanez helped Valdez traffic the stolen firearms by advertising the firearms for sale using Facebook Messenger. One of the stolen firearms sold by Yanez was used during the homicide of a four-year-old child in Othello, Washington, during a domestic dispute on February 27, 2021. 

United States Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref, who is the Chief Law Enforcement Officer in the Eastern District of Washington, stated, “Ms. Yanez endangered our community by trafficking in stolen firearms. Her conduct directly led to the tragic homicide of a four-year-old child. I’m grateful for the joint efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement, who helped bring Ms. Yanez to justice and who work tirelessly to keep our communities safe and our neighborhoods strong.”

“Ms. Yanez’s brazen conduct clearly warranted this significant sentence,” said ATF Resident Agent in Charge Sterling Nixon. “ATF is committed to keeping members of our communities safe from individuals who provide firearms to dangerous criminals.”

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Othello Police Department, the Moses Lake Police Department, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, and the Washington State Patrol. This case was prosecuted by Michael J. Ellis, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.

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