Cass Lake Felon Pleads Guilty To Possessing A .357 Revolver

MINNEAPOLIS—Earlier today in federal court, a 25-year-old Cass Lake felon pleaded guilty to possessing a .357-caliber revolver. Anthony Duane Howard pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Howard, who was indicted on March 12, 2013, entered his plea before United States District Court Judge Joan N. Ericksen.

In his plea agreement, Howard admitted that on December 1, 2012, he possessed the revolver near a residential complex on Cedar Avenue in south Minneapolis. When police arrived, Howard discarded the firearm, which was later recovered. Because he is a felon, Howard is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm at any time. His prior Hennepin County convictions include first-degree assault (2003) and fourth-degree assault (2011).

For his crime, Howard faces a potential maximum penalty of ten years in prison. Judge Ericksen will determine his sentence at a future hearing, yet to be scheduled. This case is the result of an investigation by the Minneapolis Police Department, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney LeeAnn K. Bell.

The case was charged federally through Project Exile Minneapolis. That law enforcement initiative was launched on July 22, 2010, as part of a city-wide effort to reduce gun violence. Through Project Exile, the Minneapolis Police Department and the ATF work together to apprehend serial criminals for violations of gun laws. Then, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office teams up with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to determine where those offenders will most effectively be prosecuted – state or federal court. Those determinations are based on the offenders’ criminal histories and current charges, among other factors. To date, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has brought charges against two dozen serious habitual criminals through Project Exile Minneapolis.