Defendant Publicly Assaulted Girlfriend and Shot at Bystanders During Getaway

OKLAHOMA CITY – Earlier this week, JACOB WAYNE HORWITZ, 45, of Missouri, was sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm after a prior felony conviction, announced U. S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

Public record reflects that Horwitz was arrested on June 29, 2021, after he had assaulted his girlfriend outside of a metro convenience store and fired multiple gunshots at bystanders as he fled on a motorcycle. Shortly thereafter, Oklahoma City Police Department officers arrested Horwitz still in possession of the firearm.

On October 19, 2021, a federal grand jury indicted Horwitz. He pled guilty on January 21, 2022.

Public records further reflect that Horwitz has a lengthy criminal history.  His felony convictions include:

• burglary in the second degree in Camden County (Missouri) Circuit Court Docket No. 98004168F;
• two counts of kidnapping and four counts of second-degree assault in Greene County (Missouri) Circuit Court Docket No. 399CF5394;
• possession of a controlled substance in Greene County (Missouri) Circuit Court Docket No. 1631-CR07265;
• failure to register as a sex offender in Greene County (Missouri) Circuit Court Docket No. 1631-CR09905; and
• resisting stop by fleeing—creating a substantial risk of serious injury/death to any person and operating a vehicle on a highway without a valid license (third and subsequent) in Douglas County (Missouri) Circuit Court Docket No. 17DG-CR00308.

On October 16, 2023, U.S. District Judge Charles B. Goodwin sentenced Horwitz to serve 120 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the circumstances of Horwitz’s arrest and his apparent willingness to kill to avoid arrest and escape responsibility.

This case is the result of investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle M. Connolly and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Dain K. Barnett.

This case is part of “Operation 922″ and operation “Shots Fired,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.  “Operation 922” prioritizes prosecution of federal firearms violations connected to domestic violence. “Shots Fired” targets cases involving individuals who discharge firearms as part of their criminal activity, such as drive-by shootings or when shots are fired during robberies, domestic disputes, or other incidents.

For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.

Reference is made to public filings for more information.