Christopher Howard, Unlawful Possession of Firearms, California 2024

FRESNO, Calif. — Christopher Howard, 45, of Delano, appeared in federal court this week after a grand jury returned an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

According to court documents, on April 28, 2024, police officers encountered Howard in Delano while he was carrying a pouch bag that contained a loaded 9 mm handgun and an additional loaded high-capacity magazine. Howard cannot lawfully possess firearms or ammunition because he has sustained numerous felony convictions, including for possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of stolen property, escape, and two second degree burglary convictions.

If convicted, Howard faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.

Howard is currently facing charges and is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bakersfield and Delano Police Departments.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edca/pr/two-kern-county-residents-charged-separate-cases-unlawful-possession-firearms-and