Department of Justice

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Felon in Possession of a Firearm was sentenced on February 22, 2021, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.

Anthony James Howard, age 28, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Howard was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 20, 2020. He pled guilty on November 23, 2020.

The conviction stemmed from an incident on April 20, 2020, when Howard, possessed a Glock handgun. Sioux Falls police responded to a report of shots fired, and found spent shell casings in the street. A few hours later, police found Howard passed out in his vehicle with methamphetamine and a gun. The shell casings found at the scene matched the caliber of gun found in Howard’s possession. Howard had previously been convicted of a felony, which prohibited him from possessing any firearms or ammunition.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice's signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department's past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.

Howard was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.