Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Elijah Howard (22, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Howard faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, Howard, a multi-convicted felon, brandished a Glock 19 semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine during an Instagram video on December 21, 2021. Later that same day, Tampa Police Department officers encountered Howard in possession of that same firearm during a traffic stop. Howard was detained and the firearm was recovered. Officers determined that the firearm was loaded with 34 rounds of ammunition, including a round in the chamber.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel J. Marcet.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.