Emanuel Romo And Alonso Sandoval Pleaded Guilty In Straw Gun Purchase Involved In MPD Officer Shooting

Several men pleaded guilty in federal court for a straw gun purchase in January of 2014.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 5, 2016

Milwaukee, WI - On Wednesday, Emanuel Romo, 24, and Alonso Sandoval, 22, pleaded guilty in federal court for what prosecutors was a straw buy of a handgun. According to the federal indictment, Romo purchased a SR-22 Ruger, 22 Caliber handgun at Shooters Shop in West Allis on January 2014, which actually was intended for Sandoval who had a felony drug charge pending, which he later pleaded guilty, was sentenced to one year in prison, but it was stayed and received probation. Sandoval who is Romo's cousin was with Romo when he bought the gun. 

Sandoval later sold the weapon to another individual, which eventually ended up in Tomas A. Rivera Uriegas, 20, possession who committed suicide by a self-inflicted wound to the head on July 17, 2016 shortly after firing the SR-22 five times at Milwaukee Police Officer Brandon Baranowski. Officer Baranowski survived the shooting, he was sitting in his police vehicle when Uriegas walked up to him and shot him twice in the arm, grazed him in the forehead and two other bullets hit a bullet proof vest.

Officer Baranowski was investigating a domestic abuse call at the 1700 block of W. Morgan involving Uriegas and his former girlfriend who had a child with him. Uriegas had felony charge pending for aggravated battery and was prohibited from owning or possessing a weapon as well. According to court records, Uriegas was put on bond and planned to plea guilty on the battery charge involving his mother's boyfriend. The mother's boyfriend was temporarily paralyzed from the injuries. The aggravated battery charge was later dismissed by the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office after Uriegas death was reported.

Romo is facing up to 10 years in a federal prison on one felony count for making false statements in a gun purchase, which he admitted the gun was for him when in fact it was not and $250,000 in fines. Sandoval is facing up to 10 years in prison for one felony count of possession of a weapon involved in interstate commerce when prohibited and up to $250,000 in fines.

The handgun used by Uriegas was traced by the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) Intelligence Fusion Center and the ATF, according MPD.