Gary Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison

HAMMOND- Darrius L. Smith, 34 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.

Smith was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.

According to documents in the case, on January 11, 2023, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Smith. During a search of the vehicle, a loaded semi-automatic .40 caliber firearm was recovered. The firearm was previously reported stolen. Smith's criminal history revealed that he had prior felony convictions for burglary and auto theft, and as such, is prohibited from possessing the firearm in this case.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Gang Response Investigative Team with the assistance of the Lake County Sheriff's Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Padilla.

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.