Egyptian citizen sentenced to prison after allegedly pointing gun at victim in Las Cruces

ALBUQUERQUE (KVIA) -- An Egyptian citizen allegedly threatened a person at a Las Cruces gas station by pointing a gun at them, the U.S. Attorney's Office District of New Mexico said Thursday. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison without parole for illegally possessing a firearm.

USAO New Mexico said, according to court documents, 29-year-old Moustafa Mahmoud Abdelnabi Salem threatened the victim by pulling out a handgun, chambering a round and pointing it at the victim. The victim reported the assault to a Las Cruces police officer.

The officer questioned Salem, who was still at the scene, USAO New Mexico said. Salem alleged the victim assaulted him with a large knife and denied pointing a gun at the victim. USAO New Mexico said Salem refused to let the officer retrieve the handgun from his vehicle.

The officer determines Salem was unlawfully present in the U.S. USAO New Mexico said footage from the gas station showed Salem as the aggressor.

Salem pleaded guilty to being in the U.S. illegally while in possession of a firearm and ammunition, USAO New Mexico said. It added, he is subject to deportation upon his prison release.

The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI's Albuquerque Field Office investigated the case with help from Las Cruces police and Homeland Security Investigations Las Cruces.