Alejandro Figueroa-Bautista has been arrested in connection with a violent crime spree in Union County that left one person dead and a police officer injured.
Authorities identified Figueroa-Bautista as the supplier of the illegal fully automatic firearm used by 18-year-old Joshua Sikes during a string of attacks in late May.
Sheriff Eddie Cathey commented, “This series of violent, reckless acts is a grim example of what happens when dangerous criminals get their hands on illegal weapons.”
In the early hours of May 31, Monroe Police officers tried to stop a suspicious vehicle driven by Sikes. Instead of stopping, Sikes fled and fired at officers with a fully automatic assault rifle, injuring one officer.
Investigators later confirmed that Sikes had murdered 23-year-old Alvin Parson prior to the police pursuit. The chase ended with Sikes being killed in a shootout with law enforcement.
The Union County Sheriff’s Office worked with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to trace the illegal weapon back to Figueroa-Bautista.
He now faces multiple charges, including two counts of possession of a machine gun and four counts of soliciting the unlawful purchase of a firearm.
Figueroa-Bautista is currently held at the Union County Detention Center on a $450,000 bond.
