A federal indictment unsealed Monday accuses a man of lying about his criminal history on paperwork at a Texarkana pawn shop during his attempt to buy a rifle.
Cedric Rondell Howard, 45, appeared Monday morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Caroline Craven for arraignment on a one-count indictment in the Texarkana Division of the Eastern District of Texas. With the help of Texarkana lawyer Cory Floyd, Howard entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of making a false and fictitious written statement in an attempt to acquire a firearm.
Howard was allegedly dishonest Oct. 9 when he attempted to purchase a Marlin model 60 .22 caliber rifle from Cash America Pawn, a licensed firearms dealer, in Texarkana, Texas. According to Howard's indictment, he was convicted of a misdemeanor domestic assault causing bodily injury July 31, 2008, in Gregg County, Texas, and of felony burglary of a habitation April 1, 1993, in Rusk County, Texas
Either conviction makes Howard ineligible to buy or own a gun.
The government, represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Hornok, did not seek Howard's continued incarceration while the case proceeds. Craven released Howard on a $10,000 unsecured appearance bond.
His case is set for trial May 28 before U.S. District Judge Robert Schroeder III in Texarkana's downtown federal building.