Convicted Felon Who Resisted Arrest Sentence to Federal Prison for Unlawful Gun Possession

A convicted felon who possessed a gun that he displayed in public and then resisted arrest was sentenced today to more than a year in federal prison.

Jason Harris, age 37, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 30, 2024, guilty plea to one count of felon in possession of a firearm.

Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that on July 26, 2024, Harris possessed a loaded handgun.  Harris took the gun out while a fight was occurring between other individuals.  Cedar Rapids police officers arrived and saw Harris with the gun in his pants.  As the officers approached him, Harris said “nope” and attempted to flee.  Officers caught him quickly, but he continued to resist and reach for the gun.  Harris has prior felony convictions for driving under the influence and felon in possession of a firearm.

Harris was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Harris was sentenced to eighteen months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This case is 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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.  

Harris is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force.  The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.   

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

The case file number is 24-cr-77.

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