A 21-year-old was sentenced to three years of imprisonment in Sancti Spíritus for illegally carrying a Colt .45 caliber revolver that, according to authorities, he had found months earlier and chose to keep.
The sentence was imposed by the Municipal Popular Court of Sancti Spíritus in case number 37 of 2026, according to information published by Radio Sancti Spíritus.
During the public trial, it was revealed that the young man was carrying the weapon inside a backpack when he was in the vicinity of the bakery in Olivos 3, in the main municipality.
According to the evidence presented in the proceedings, the accused had found the revolver in February of this year on the banks of one of the bridges over the Yayabo River, on the road to Trinidad, known as Circunvalante, but did not turn it in to the authorities.
Subsequently, after receiving information about the young man's presence at that location, the authorities went to the site and during a search found the .45 caliber Colt inside the backpack.
The finding was supported during the process by documentary, expert, and testimonial evidence, according to the version released by the state media.
The Tribunal determined the criminal responsibility of the accused for the crime of illegal possession and carrying of firearms and imposed three years of temporary deprivation of liberty.
The sentence also included accessory sanctions such as the deprivation of rights, a ban on leaving the national territory, and the confiscation of the revolver.
The case falls under what is outlined by the Cuban Penal Code for the unauthorized possession of firearms.
Article 276 establishes penalties of two to five years in prison for anyone who, without legal authorization, acquires, carries, or possesses a firearm, its parts, or components.
Cuban legislation also strictly regulates the carrying, use, transportation, storage, and discovery of weapons and ammunition. Decree-Law 262 establishes the general framework for their control and outlines specific obligations when an individual finds a weapon.
Other recent processes show that the illegal possession and carrying of weapons continues to be used as a criminal charge in Cuba.
In March 2026, a Cuban was sentenced to life imprisonment in Camagüey for a combination of crimes that included terrorism and illegal possession of weapons or explosives, according to information released by the Ministry of the Interior.
The Cuban Prosecutor's Office also reminded in February, in connection with another criminal proceeding, that the illegal introduction of weapons and ammunition, as well as illegal carrying and possession, may be part of cases with much harsher penalties when combined with other serious offenses.
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