Man from Albuquerque faces federal firearms charges under Operation Legend

            ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Carlos Trevon Morris, 44, of Albuquerque, New Mexico made an initial appearance in federal court in Albuquerque today on a criminal complaint charging him with felon in possession of a firearm.

            This case is being prosecuted as part of Operation Legend, a sustained and coordinated law enforcement initiative in which the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with state and local law enforcement to prosecute gun and dangerous crimes arising in the City of Albuquerque.

            “This case exemplifies the goals and aims of Operation Legend: to make Albuquerque a safer place to live by reducing gun violence.” said John Anderson, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico.

            As alleged in the criminal complaint, police officers responded to a call of shots fired at an apartment complex in Albuquerque. As officers approached the complex on foot, they saw Morris as he attempted to place what appeared to be an unconscious male into a vehicle. After shining their flashlights at Morris, officers noticed what appeared to be blood on his arms, shirt, and pants. Directly underneath Morris was the motionless body of the victim. The complaint further alleges that officers saw a bottle of bleach next to the vehicle. Police officers then commanded Morris to the ground and arrested him. The complaint further alleges that the police observed a blood trail from where the body and Morris were located and followed it all the way to an apartment walkway, where they discovered bullet casings and odors of bleach. Police officers also discovered a handgun in Morris’s left pant pocket. Morris was transported to a hospital for a gunshot wound on his right arm. Homicide detectives responded to the scene.

            Morris is currently in custody awaiting a detention hearing scheduled for July 31.  He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of the charged offense.  A criminal complaint is only an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

           The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Albuquerque Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Outler is prosecuting the case.