Tomas G. Rodriguez, 33, of Houston, has been sentenced to 90 months (7.5 years) in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Rodriguez, who pleaded guilty on April 25, 2024, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
The sentence stems from an incident on September 5, 2021, when Rodriguez was involved in a violent altercation near a Houston bar. After witnesses directed responding officers to Rodriguez, he was seen fleeing toward a female victim lying on the ground. As an officer attempted to detain Rodriguez, he pointed a loaded .22-caliber pistol at the officer, prompting the officer to discharge his weapon in self-defense. Rodriguez then fled but discarded the firearm before being apprehended after a brief foot pursuit.
Rodriguez, a convicted felon with prior convictions, is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law. The court emphasized the severity of his actions, including the assault on the female victim and the threat posed to law enforcement.
The Houston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black prosecuted the case.
