United States District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Christopher O’Neal Houser, a 44-year-old Jacksonville resident, to four years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Houser had previously pleaded guilty on October 15, 2024.
Court documents reveal that on February 2, 2024, Houser sold a sawed-off shotgun to another felon. At the time of this transaction, he was prohibited from legally possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions for possession of methamphetamine and grand theft. Additionally, he had been convicted of sexually assaulting multiple women in 2002 and misdemeanor battery in 2019.
The investigation into this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorney Brenna Falzetta.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The Department launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy on May 26, 2021, focusing on building trust within communities, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.