Merrillville Man Sentenced to 92 Months in Prison

HAMMOND- Eric Crosslin, 37 years old, of Merrillville, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to one count of distribution of cocaine, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.

Crosslin was sentenced to 92 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.

According to documents in the case, Crosslin sold cocaine on six separate occasions in September and October 2020. A search of Crosslin's properties in Merrillville and Gary resulted in the recovery of firearms, cash, and cocaine. Crosslin's criminal history revealed he has prior felony convictions for voluntary manslaughter, intimidation while drawing/using a deadly weapon, and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force and the Gary Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin M. Padula.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.