A 38-year-old man from Houston has received a 150-month prison sentence for assaulting a federal officer and damaging property in downtown Houston. Justin Wade Prophet, who pleaded guilty to the charges on March 25, will also be subject to three years of supervised release following his prison term, as ordered by U.S. District Judge David Hittner. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani and is documented on the official website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas.

In a statement obtained by the attorney's office, Judge Hittner described Prophet's case as one of the most challenging due to the defendant's childhood and mental health issues. Nevertheless, the court found that the gravity of his offenses demanded a longer sentence. The goal, as per the judge, was to promote respect for the law and ensure the public's safety against future criminal acts. Despite these challenges, the court felt the sentence was appropriate considering needs to uphold the law and protect public.

The incident leading to Prophet's conviction occurred on October 26, 2023. Early in the morning, Prophet vandalized a window at the federal courthouse with a long metal pole and proceeded to break into another building across the street, where he attempted to assault an early worker and caused further property damage. When confronted by authorities from the courthouse, Prophet struck an officer with the pole. The altercation ended when the officer shot Prophet in the lower extremities, after which he was apprehended and received medical attention.

As outlined in the press release, Prophet will remain in custody until his transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility, the location of which is yet to be determined. The Department of Homeland Security - Federal Protective Service, along with the Houston Police Department conducted the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Barri Dean overseeing the sentencing. This case brings to a close a series of events that began with the destruction of federal property and ended with an individual set to serve over a decade behind bars.