Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Being Felon in Possession of a Firearm

Cornelius Houston, 35, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on Aug. 15, 2025, Houston was found in possession of a loaded Glock handgun. Houston is prohibited from possessing ammunition or firearms based on his prior felony convictions for robbery and transportation, sale, or distribution of a controlled substance.

The Sacramento Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Ng is prosecuting the case.

Houston is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on May 14, 2026. Houston faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).