A Houston resident, Chase Langston Wiatt, was sentenced on Mar. 18 to 92 months in federal prison for illegal possession of a firearm, according to Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Wiatt pleaded guilty on Sept. 25, 2025, following an incident where law enforcement found him unconscious in the driver’s seat of a vehicle with two pistols inside. The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address gun-related offenses among individuals with prior felony convictions.
U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal ordered that Wiatt serve his sentence immediately and be placed under three years of supervised release upon completion. During the sentencing hearing, the court reviewed Wiatt’s criminal history, which included previous convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, escape, and credit card abuse. The court noted his extensive record and prior violence when determining the sentence.
The incident occurred on Oct. 28, 2021, when police responded to reports of an unconscious driver and found Wiatt unresponsive with the vehicle still in drive. Authorities observed signs of impairment and learned that Wiatt had consumed a cannabis edible before driving. A search revealed two pistols—one between the driver’s seat and center console and another on the passenger seat—despite Wiatt being prohibited from possessing firearms due to his felony status.
Wiatt will remain in custody until he is transferred to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility at a later date. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives led the investigation with help from the Houston Police Department; Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis Batarse prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas has included notable figures such as Alamdar Hamdani and Ryan Patrick among its former leaders according to the official history page. The office operates locations in Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen and Brownsville as described on its official website. It is part of the U.S. Department of Justice under the Attorney General according to its official website.
Employing more than 200 attorneys across 43 counties serving over nine million people as detailed on its official website, the office focuses on prosecuting federal crimes and handling civil cases for the government according to its official website. Alamdar Hamdani served as U.S. Attorney from 2022 to 2025 as noted on its official history page.
