Jose Ines Garcia Zarate, 45, the man found not guilty of murdering Kate Steinle last week, was indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday, authorities announced. The Department of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said Zarate is being charged with one count of possession of a firearm and one count of an immigrant in possession of a firearm. During his murder trial, Zarate admitted to firing a single shot from a .40 caliber Sig Sauer and hitting Steinle as she walked with her father on a San Francisco pier on July 1, 2015. He claimed he fired accidentally. Zarate is currently in state custody after he was found guilty on one count of possession of a firearm. If convicted, Zarate faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison before a potential deportation.
