A Chattanooga man charged with shooting a police officer in 2013 pleaded guilty Thursday to reduced charges.
Celvin Houston pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree murder in connection with the March 2013 shooting of former Chattanooga officer William McMillan. Prosecutors said Houston received eight years for the charge, citing his status as a range-one offender. That means Houston faced the lowest possible rung of punishment for the crime and will be eligible for parole after serving 30 percent of his sentence.
Houston also pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and having contraband in a penal institution. Those charges carry five- and three-year punishments, respectively, but will run concurrently, or at the same time, with his attempted murder charge.
Houston has received other prison time in connection with the incident, which McMillan survived. McMillan is no longer with the department, and picked up charges in 2017 for stalking his ex-wife and violating an order of protection that a judge later dismissed on good behavior. His attorney, Stevie Phillips, previously told the Times Free Press McMillan experienced trauma from being shot on duty that has affected his personal life. Since that time, he allegedly violated the order again and was placed on probation, records show.
In 2017, a federal jury found Houston guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm on the day of the officer's shooting, and Chattanooga U.S. District Court Judge Harry "Sandy" Mattice sentenced him to 10 years behind bars. Because of the way federal sentencing guidelines are written, a firearm charge in federal court can carry stiffer penalties than some serious state charges. It's common for federal prosecutors in Chattanooga to indict people with felonies on their records if they're later picked up by police for improperly having a gun.
In court, Assistant District Attorney Andrew Coyle said McMillan responded to a disorder in East Lake Courts in 2013 and was shot by a black male several times. On the scene, responding officers found a black cellphone that started ringing, Coyle said. On the other end was a woman who said she was trying to reach "Squeaky," a well-known nickname of Houston's. Coyle said officers interviewed other people close to Houston, and one said Houston called her on the same night of the shooting and said he needed to get out of town.
Officers found Houston a short time later.
Contact staff writer Zack Peterson at zpeterson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6347. Follow him on Twitter @zackpeterson918.