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BEAUMONT — A Port Arthur man with a felony escape conviction in Jefferson County was caught a second time by the law this week.

This one includes a decade behind bars.

U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone sentenced 30-year-old Jesus Antonio Ceja to ten years in federal prison for a firearms violation.

The sentence was handed down Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston said, adding Ceja pleaded guilty to the crime Aug. 2 for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, law enforcement officers observed a vehicle stopped at an intersection in 5200 block of 15th Street in Port Arthur on Feb. 9, 2020.

As an officer approached the vehicle, he saw the driver, later identified as Ceja, with his head down. The officer drove towards the vehicle to see if the driver was in need of assistance, at which time Ceja looked at the officer and accelerated away at a high rate of speed.

As the officer turned around to follow the vehicle, he saw Ceja had crashed into a pole at the intersection of Lewis and Lakeview. Ceja repeatedly reached under the seat and ignored commands to show his hands and exit.

After the officer opened the passenger door, Ceja exited and crawled on top of it, refusing to come down. Once other officers arrived, Ceja came down off the car and told officers there was methamphetamine and a firearm in the vehicle.

Further investigation revealed Ceja was a convicted felon, having previously been found guilty of felony escape in Jefferson County in 2008. Ceja is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.

This case was investigated by the Port Arthur Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Quinn.