A federal grand jury has indicted Cornelius Houston, 34, of Elk Grove, on two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Eric Grant.
Court documents state that Houston was found with a loaded Glock handgun on August 15, 2025, and again with another Glock handgun on October 7. Due to previous felony convictions for robbery and for offenses involving controlled substances, Houston is legally barred from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The Sacramento Police Department led the investigation, with support from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Ng is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Houston could face up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. However, any sentence will be determined by the court after considering statutory factors and federal Sentencing Guidelines. “The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,” according to the release.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative designed to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and local communities. In May 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice implemented a strategy to strengthen PSN by focusing on building community trust, supporting organizations that prevent violence, prioritizing strategic enforcement actions, and tracking outcomes.
Additionally, this case involves the Special Assistant United States Attorney program—a partnership between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and local District Attorney’s Offices—which allows designated attorneys from county offices to prosecute cases at both state and federal levels. This cooperation aims to address organized crime and violent offenses affecting the region.
