FAYETTEVILLE -- A former Lowell police officer arrested after being shot at the end of a six-hour standoff with Fayetteville police pleaded guilty to a federal drug charge Friday.
Skylar Houston pleaded guilty to one count of distributing methamphetamine in a deal with prosecutors. The remaining charges will be dismissed.
A federal indictment alleged that Houston and two other men conspired to sell methamphetamine. Houston was also charged with two counts of distributing methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime.
Houston, 30, of Huntsville will be sentenced at a later date. He faces up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $1,000, followed by no less than three years of supervised release.
The 4th Judicial District Drug Task Force learned March 31 that Houston was selling meth, and it bought some using a confidential informant, according to court records. Houston was then arrested.
Houston still faces a long list of charges in state court from the arrest during which he was shot. The charges are simultaneous possession of drugs and firearm, conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine, terroristic act, unlawful use of a communications device, criminal mischief, aggravated assault, possession of marijuana with purpose to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia, carrying a weapon and resisting arrest.
Houston was already facing state charges from an earlier arrest and was free on bond when he was shot. Those charges include simultaneous possession of drugs and firearm, trafficking a controlled substance, delivery of methamphetamine, four counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia and theft by receiving involving a firearm.
Houston has pleaded innocent to those charges in Washington County Circuit Court. His next court date is April 12.
Houston was shot by Fayetteville police after officers with the 4th Judicial District Drug Task Force tried to arrest him as part of a drug investigation July 23, according to information from the Fayetteville Police Department.
Detectives arranged to buy methamphetamine from Houston and found a stolen firearm during a search of his home April 1, according to police.
Detectives tried to arrest Houston in the McDonald's parking lot at 587 E. Joyce Blvd. Detectives saw him through the rear window of his vehicle put a gun to his head as they approached. Patrol officers and members of the department's crisis negotiation team and emergency response team went to the location, according to the probable cause affidavit.
Police used a chemical irritant to force Houston out of the vehicle after about six hours. Houston was still holding a gun to his head when he got out of the vehicle, police said, and refused to comply with orders to put the gun down, according to the arrest report. Members of the response team fired several rounds from a pepper ball gun at Houston, who ran east into another parking lot and tried to enter Cleo's Furniture at 636 E. Joyce Blvd.
Houston fired his gun into the glass door of the business to enter the furniture store, according to court records.
Officers continued to order Houston to drop his weapon. Two patrol officers fired their weapons when he refused. Police said Houston was hit and fell to the ground, but immediately got up, leaving his gun. He ran toward some officers, and a stun gun was used by the officers he was running toward to stop him, police said.
Houston was taken to a local hospital for treatment before being booked into the Washington County Detention Center. Bond was set at $2 million, and he has remained in jail.
An internal investigation by the Fayetteville Police Department and a criminal investigation by the Washington County Sheriff's Office cleared the officers of any misconduct in the shooting.