U.S. Department
of Justice
Arkansas Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm Possession
HOT SPRINGS – A Little Rock man was sentenced yesterday to the maximum sentence of 120 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the U.S. District Court in Hot Springs.
According to court documents, on June 23, 2022, a deputy with the Garland County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop in the 600 block of East Grand Avenue in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The deputy made contact with the driver, and sole occupant, of the vehicle Chantze T. Howze, age 30. As the deputy returned to his vehicle to investigate the information provided by Howze, Howze fled the scene in his vehicle. The deputy began pursuing Howze at speeds more than 100 miles per hour.
A trooper with the Arkansas State Police assisted in the pursuit of Howze, whose vehicle traveled in and out of traffic and traveled into the oncoming lane. Howze ultimately lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a motel located at the intersection of East Grand Avenue and Coy Street in Hot Springs causing damage to the building. A search of the vehicle yielded 795 grams of marijuana and a Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun loaded with 18 live rounds. Howze was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony conviction of Possession with Purpose to Deliver Controlled Substance Schedule IV and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia to Manufacture.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Garland County Sheriff’s Department, 18th East Judicial District Drug Task Force, Arkansas State Police and the 18th East Prosecuting Attorney’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Daniels prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov.