Stanley Amalemba Ambeyi, a 39-year-old Kenyan national living in the United States without legal documentation, will serve 18 months in prison for illegal firearm possession.
Catherine Crosby, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, confirmed that Ambeyi pleaded guilty in November 2025 to the federal charge. Following this plea, U.S. District Judge Madeline Haikala handed down the sentence on Monday, April 6.
The legal trouble began on April 11, 2025, when a Birmingham police officer pulled Ambeyi over for a traffic stop. During the interaction, the officer noticed a box of ammunition inside the car and questioned Ambeyi about whether he was carrying a weapon. Ambeyi initially denied having any firearms in the vehicle, a claim that would later be disproven during the investigation.
During the stop, the officer spotted an open alcoholic beverage can and informed Ambeyi that he was breaking the law. When the officer instructed him to step out of the car, a subsequent search revealed an Amadeo Rossi S.A. .22LR revolver hidden inside. The police arrested Ambeyi on the spot for the weapon and the open container violation.
The courtroom proceedings revealed a far darker history for the defendant. Prosecutors presented evidence that in November 2024, Ambeyi attempted to entice someone he believed was a 15-year-old girl into a sexual encounter in exchange for money. This incident resulted in a series of severe felony charges currently pending in the Blount County Circuit Court, including first-degree human trafficking, electronic solicitation of a child, and traveling to meet a child for sex.
In a striking twist, Ambeyi’s alleged attempt to solicit a minor was actually captured as part of a sting operation by the television program “To Catch a Predator,” hosted by Chris Hansen. This high-profile encounter eventually led authorities to his doorstep, while his current 18-month prison sentence addresses the federal firearm violation uncovered during the later traffic stop.
Ambeyi allegedly attempted to meet a minor for sex, unaware that he was actually communicating with an undercover police officer. During the filmed encounter, he reportedly offered $150 for the sexual encounter. When he arrived at the meeting location, investigators found him in possession of a loaded firearm, condoms, lubricant, and a machete.
Under interrogation by host Chris Hansen, Ambeyi claimed he carried the weapons solely for self-protection, citing a fear of assault in Birmingham, where he worked as a mechanic. Although he denied any intention of engaging in sexual activity during the television program, investigators presented chat transcripts and physical evidence that established a prima facie case. This evidence led Blount County deputies to arrest him on the spot.
He now faces a litany of serious charges, including electronic solicitation of a child, human trafficking, and traveling to meet a minor for sex. These legal battles remain entirely separate from the 18-month sentence he received on April 6 for the illegal possession of a firearm.
Sheriff Mark Moon, the officer who arrested Ambeyi, noted that the defendant likely faces deportation to Kenya once he completes any custodial sentence. According to the Sheriff, Ambeyi seemed to grasp the gravity of his situation at the time of his arrest, remarking, “I know this is probably going to send me away from America.”
Ambeyi’s case has become part of a larger federal crackdown under the Trump Administration’s “Operation Take Back America.” This nationwide initiative mobilizes the full resources of the Department of Justice to address illegal immigration, dismantle cartels, and neutralize transnational criminal organizations. By targeting individuals who commit violent crimes or possess illegal weapons, the program seeks to secure American communities, and Ambeyi’s arrest serves as a high-profile example of this enforcement dragnet.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) spearheaded the investigation alongside the Birmingham Police Department. Following their findings, United States Attorneys John Ward and Ryan Rummage led the prosecution, successfully securing a conviction on the federal weapons charges.
Questions remain regarding what support the Kenyan embassy can offer its citizen in this dire situation. Immigration attorney Blaise Odhiambo notes that while an embassy can typically help a national secure legal counsel, that window has largely closed for the federal case.
“The embassy can be instrumental in providing access to counsel if that is needed, but I think it is a moot point now. Ambeyi pleaded guilty to the charge, was convicted, and will have to do his time in jail,” Odhiambo explained.
Ambeyi’s legal troubles are far from over, however. He still faces the prospect of significant additional prison time for the separate November 2024 charges in Alabama’s Blount County Circuit Court. There, he must answer for first-degree human trafficking, electronic solicitation of a child, and traveling to meet a minor for sex – crimes that carry heavy sentences and further complicate any future hopes of remaining in the United States.
