CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Corpus Christi resident and convicted felon has been sentenced for firearm possession, according to a press release from the United States Attorney's Office Southern District of Texas.
44-year-old Jason Jaime Merdes pleaded guilty on Aug. 24.
Merdes was ordered to serve 10 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
The court found that Merdes used a firearm in his possession - which federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms or ammunition - in a drive-by shooting the day before his arrest.
According the release, a homeowner woke up to gunshots on at approximately 3 a.m. on May 16 and called the police. Shell casings were discovered in the street and police found multiple bullet holes in the home and garage.
The homeowner named Merdes as a possible suspect, as her had been hired to complete a home repair and a legal notice has recently been sent to him for an incomplete job.
Cameras caught the shooters vehicle and police observed the same vehicle leaving Merdes’ residence and making a traffic stop. Merdes was wearing a holster on his belt and a gun was also found under his seat.
Police searched his house and found nine additional firearms. One of the guns matched the shell casings found at the scene of the shooting, and two others were consistent with bullet fragments recovered.
Merdes will remain in custody until he is transferred to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility sometime in the near future.
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