Local businessman’s family evicted over high-power rifle found in home

Local entrepreneur’s family is being evicted over high-power rifle found in home.

The owner of a popular local graphic design business claims his family is being evicted from their home of over 20 years for something they did not do.

A semi-automatic modified high-power rifle was found recently in the home of local entrepreneur Angel Esparza. Esparza owns the highly popular “Mi Calexico” graphic design business. His parents and teenage siblings live at the 1620 Rockwood Housing Projects. The entrepreneur said neither he nor his family knew about the rifle being hidden there by people they claim not to know.

Police said five men described as gang members fied the rifle in a vacant lot behind the projects then ran inside the Esparza apartment where they hid the rifle.

The entrepreneur denies being connected to the rifle or its owner. He said the night was found his family was out celebrating his sister’s birthday and he wasn’t home, either.

“A situation that’s already costing a lot of damage to my family. My family just lost their home, and now they’re trying to get other people, like myself, involved with this in a negative way. You can’t have weapons there. And, even though it wasn’t their weapon, someone went into the home and left it there, they’re responsible for it,” Esparza said.

Police said they are investigating the case as a possible federal crime. The ATF is investigating, as well.