On March 12, 2025, a federal judge sentenced Desmond Chrishawn Howard to eight years in prison for federal gun and drug charges. Howard, aged 31 and a resident of Elmore, Alabama, will also serve three years of supervised release following his prison term. Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced the sentencing. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case stems from an incident on June 13, 2024. Deputies from the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office responded to a domestic disturbance call involving Howard and a female at a residence in Elmore. The female reported leaving the residence with Howard following her in another vehicle. When deputies attempted to stop Howard's vehicle, he refused to comply. During the pursuit, deputies saw him discard two objects from his car window before returning home where he was taken into custody without further incident.
Investigators later recovered a handgun and a glove containing suspected dimethylpentylone or "molly" near where Howard discarded the objects. Laboratory tests confirmed the substance as dimethylpentylone. Due to a previous felony conviction, Howard is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. On November 20, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony offense.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Elmore County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation with Assistant United States Attorney J. Patrick Lamb prosecuting the case.