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Chase Langston Wiatt, a 34-year-old Houston resident, was found unconscious in the driver’s seat of his vehicle on October 28, 2021, with two pistols nearby. Wiatt had been driving under the influence of a cannabis edible and had bloodshot eyes and slurred speech. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of the firearms, which Wiatt was prohibited from possessing due to his prior felony convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, escape, and credit card abuse.
Wiatt pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm on September 25, 2025. U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal handed down a sentence of 92 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The court noted Wiatt’s extensive criminal history and prior violence in determining the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis Batarse prosecuted the case.
Wiatt has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility. The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat illegal firearm possession and reduce violence in the community.