U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday has sentenced Thaddeus Timeaus Howard (30, Tampa) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Howard to forfeit the firearm and ammunition seized during his arrest. Howard had pleaded guilty on December 15, 2022.
According to court documents, on July 9, 2022, Howard fired approximately seven shots at his ex-girlfriend in the Sulphur Springs neighborhood of Tampa. After firing his weapon, Howard entered his vehicle and chased the victim, who had fled in a car driven by her cousin. That chase ended when Howard caused a multi-vehicle accident near the intersection of North Nebraska Avenue and East Broad Street, after swerving in and out of oncoming traffic. Howard fled the scene of that crash on foot and was apprehended by officers from the Tampa Police Department. Upon searching Howard, officers located a pistol in the pocket of his jeans.
At the time of the incident, Howard had prior felony convictions for armed robbery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.
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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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