OKLAHOMA CITY – Jacob Wayne Horwitz, 45, of Missouri, is headed to federal prison for a decade after a brazen act of violence and subsequent illegal firearm possession. Horwitz was sentenced to 120 months – ten years – followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
The incident unfolded on June 29, 2021, when Horwitz assaulted his girlfriend outside a metro convenience store. As he fled the scene on a motorcycle, he didn’t hesitate to open fire on bystanders, demonstrating a chilling disregard for human life. Oklahoma City Police Department officers quickly apprehended Horwitz, still clutching the weapon used in the assault and shooting.
A federal grand jury indicted Horwitz on October 19, 2021, and he entered a guilty plea on January 21, 2022. But the firearm charge wasn’t an isolated incident. Horwitz’s rap sheet is extensive, revealing a pattern of escalating criminal behavior. Records show prior felony convictions including burglary in the second degree in Camden County, Missouri (Docket No. 98004168F).
The list of offenses continues: two counts of kidnapping and four counts of second-degree assault in Greene County, Missouri (Docket No. 399CF5394); possession of a controlled substance (Greene County, Docket No. 1631-CR07265); failure to register as a sex offender (Greene County, Docket No. 1631-CR09905); and even resisting arrest while fleeing and driving without a valid license – a third offense – in Douglas County, Missouri (Docket No. 17DG-CR00308). These convictions clearly established that Horwitz was already prohibited from possessing a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Charles B. Goodwin didn’t mince words during sentencing on October 16, 2023. The judge specifically cited the circumstances of Horwitz’s arrest and his willingness to resort to violence to evade law enforcement and accountability. This case was a joint effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Oklahoma City Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danielle M. Connolly and Dain K. Barnett prosecuted the case. This prosecution falls under “Operation 922” and “Shots Fired,” initiatives within the Western District of Oklahoma’s participation in Project Safe Neighborhoods – a Department of Justice program aimed at reducing gun violence and enforcing federal firearms laws. “Operation 922” focuses on firearms violations linked to domestic violence, while “Shots Fired” targets those who discharge firearms during criminal acts.
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