Houston County felon guilty of federal firearms violation

BEAUMONT, Texas – A Crockett felon has pleaded guilty to a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

Clifford Heniser, 35, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine L. Stetson on August 26, 2025.

According to information presented in court, on March 15, 2025, Heniser entered the Houston County Sheriff’s Office and requested their “federal reports.” A dispatcher asked Heniser to wait for a deputy to arrive.  Heniser became angry and left the building before returning with a firearm.  He then exited the building again and began firing the firearm in the parking lot.  Multiple law enforcement officers were dispatched to the scene and Heniser was disarmed.  Two firearms were seized from Heniser, and he was arrested.  Further investigation revealed Heniser is a convicted felon and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms.  

Heniser was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 2, 2025, and faces up to 15 years in federal prison at sentencing.  The maximum sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.  A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

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).

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Houston County Sheriff’s Office; Crockett Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.

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