A Cambodian national was sentenced on Mar. 24 to 180 months in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a weapon linked to a fatal shooting, according to Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
The sentencing follows Savin Seng’s guilty plea on Nov. 18, 2025, after authorities connected him to a deadly incident that took place on Oct. 3, 2025, in the Telferner community outside Victoria, Texas. The case underscores ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address violent crime and illegal firearms possession.
According to court documents, law enforcement responded to a residence where they found a female victim who had died from a gunshot wound to the head. Investigators discovered that the shooter left behind his cell phone at the scene and fled. Images found on the device showed Seng holding a Glock pistol with an extended magazine; witnesses also identified him as the suspect.
Seng was located less than a mile from the scene and arrested while carrying a loaded Glock 17 pistol and an extended magazine. He admitted possessing multiple guns while living illegally in the United States since entering as a child from Cambodia without lawful immigration status. Records show he had been ordered removed as an aggravated felon in April 2016 but had not been physically deported; he has also faced custody in California, Georgia, and Louisiana and held an active arrest warrant for another homicide in Los Angeles dating back to 2022.
Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered Seng’s sentence with expectations of removal proceedings following his prison term due to his non-citizen status.
The prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, which aims “to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.” The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas focuses on prosecuting federal crimes and handling civil cases for the government according to its official website. This office operates under the U.S. Department of Justice led by more than 200 attorneys across offices including Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen and Brownsville as described online, covering over nine million residents across forty-three counties.
The district has seen notable leadership changes over recent years including Alamdar Hamdani serving between 2022-2025 according to its history page.
