Several dozen felons have been charged with varying offenses related to the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition throughout Harris County, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led a 90-day surge with the assistance of the FBI, Houston Police Department (HPD), U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office (HCDA). Over the course of those days, 44 people were indicted and six others charged by criminal complaint as being felons illegally in possession of firearms or ammunition. Thus far, 36 have been arrested. Warrants remain outstanding for 14 others.
The goal was to help reduce firearms-related violent crime and to assist in reducing the backlog of felon in possession cases throughout the county. The backlog had allowed previously convicted felons who are arrested with a firearm to remain in our community for several months, sometimes years, before they faced a trial.
The surge involved over a dozen investigators, an intelligence research specialist as well as prosecutors on both the state and federal levels.
It is in concert with the effort to combat violent crime in the area.
However, this effort is not over nor limited to Harris County. Law enforcement continues to target those similar felons who potentially pose a danger to the community. Just this morning, another man - an alleged gang member in the Navasota area - was in federal court for a detention hearing. He again is a convicted felon, now federally charged with illegally possessing a firearm.
The federal firearms charges carry potential terms of imprisonment of up to 10 or 15 years depending on the offense date and maximum fines of $250,000.
The ATF conducted the investigations with the assistance of the FBI, HPD, USMS and the HCDA. A variety of Assistant U.S. Attorneys throughout the U.S. Attorney’s Office are handling the cases.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
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