Jalen Howard, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Indiana 2019

In a shocking turn of events, Jalen Howard, 29, was sentenced to 6 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of felon in possession of a firearm in Indianapolis, IN.

The crime occurred on June 2019, when officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to several calls of gunshots around 16th Street and Tacoma Avenue. A witness indicated that the shooters were in front of a vacant house, and officers located the individuals and immediately saw firearms on two of the suspects. In total, four firearms were located on four people, including Jalen Howard, who had previous felony convictions for theft and battery.

Two other individuals with Howard at the scene, Brandon Alexander, 32, and Tyler Guigere, 28, both pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm and have been sentenced in federal court.

“Gun related crime is devastating the neighborhoods throughout Indianapolis,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Childress. “Crimes like these not only put innocent bystanders in harm’s way but also tear at the very fabric of the community.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lawrence D. Hilton and Kyle M. Sawa prosecuted the case.

This case is part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.

Jalen Howard’s sentence is a significant blow to the community, and a step in the right direction towards reducing gun violence in Indianapolis. As Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Childress stated, “We will continue to work with IMPD and our federal partners to address the problem with convicted felons with guns and utilize the rule of law to ensure they face the greatest penalty possible.”

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