Xuemei Zhao, a 54-year-old citizen of the People’s Republic of China residing illegally in the United States, was sentenced on April 3 to time served after attempting to check a suitcase containing an undeclared .357 Magnum revolver and ammunition at Provo Airport.
Zhao’s sentencing follows her guilty plea on April 29, 2025, to possession of a firearm by a restricted person. U.S. District Court Judge Howard C. Nielson Jr. imposed the sentence, which included approximately one year already served in prison. Zhao will now be transferred to federal immigration authorities for deportation proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made during Zhao’s hearings, Transportation Security Administration officers discovered the revolver in her checked luggage on March 20, 2025. Zhao had not disclosed the presence of the firearm when checking her bag with American Airlines or TSA officials. In addition to the weapon, nine rounds of .357 ammunition were found in her carry-on bag and $10,900 cash was concealed within her luggage.
Immigration authorities confirmed that Zhao entered the United States on a tourist visa and had an active asylum application but did not hold lawful permanent residency status. The court enhanced Zhao’s sentence after finding she possessed the firearm while involved in other illegal conduct related to commercial sex work.
First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak announced the sentencing. The investigation was led by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and Provo Resident Agency with support from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and TSA personnel.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael Kennedy prosecuted this case as part of Operation Take Back America—a Department of Justice initiative targeting illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations through coordinated efforts involving Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
