Montrell Douglas Patterson, a 31-year-old resident of Gary, Indiana, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentencing was handed down by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund, according to an announcement from Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Patterson will also serve two years of supervised release following his prison term.
Court documents state that on July 10, 2024, officers from the Gary Police Department responded to a citizen complaint and found Patterson with a firearm equipped with an extended magazine in his waistband. Patterson attempted to flee and tried to jump a fence but dropped the firearm during the attempt. Officers recovered the weapon, which had a live round in the chamber and additional ammunition in the magazine. Patterson’s prior felony convictions for intimidation, criminal recklessness, and escape made it illegal for him to possess firearms or ammunition.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force with support from the Gary Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Padilla prosecuted the case.
“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.”
