A Sioux Falls man convicted of Felon in Possession of a Firearm was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison, officials announced Wednesday.
On February 22, 2021, U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier handed down the sentence to Anthony James Howard, 28, of Sioux Falls.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the conviction stemmed from an incident on April 20, 2020, when Howard was found in possession of a Glock handgun. Sioux Falls police responded to a report of shots fired and discovered spent shell casings in the street. A few hours later, authorities found Howard passed out in his vehicle with methamphetamine and a gun.
The shell casings found at the scene matched the caliber of the gun found in Howard’s possession. Howard had previously been convicted of a felony, which prohibited him from possessing any firearms or ammunition.
At the time of his arrest, Howard was charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm. He later pleaded guilty to the charge on November 23, 2020. As part of his sentence, Howard was also ordered to pay a special assessment of $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Howard’s case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and making neighborhoods safer. The initiative, reinvigorated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2017, brings together law enforcement agencies and community members to develop effective strategies to combat violent crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, a Department of Justice initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. The program, launched in 2019, enhances coordination between federal, state, and local authorities to investigate and prosecute gun crimes.
Related Federal Cases
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- Logan James Fast Horse, Assault by Strangulation, South Dakota 2024 · South Dakota
- Julian James Hard Heart, Voluntary Manslaughter, South Dakota 2023 · South Dakota
- Vernon Robert Schmidt, Illegal Firearm, South Dakota 2024 · South Dakota
- Anthony Arellano, Burglary, South Dakota 2024 · South Dakota
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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