Sioux Falls man sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon and as a drug user (DOJ)

SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on August 24, 2026.

Anthony James Howard, 34, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Howard was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2026. He pleaded guilty on June 29, 2026.

According to court records, in early December 2025, Howard was wielding a semi-automatic pistol after consuming methamphetamine. He was prohibited from possessing the firearm due to previous felony convictions. Howard fired the firearm and shot himself in the foot.

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). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.

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