Kenneth Young, a 52-year-old resident of Hammond, Indiana, has been sentenced to 120 months 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.
Young will also serve 24 months of supervised release following his prison term.
Court documents indicate that on October 5, 2021, law enforcement officers attempted to stop Young’s vehicle in Hammond. While Young initially complied, he sped away as an officer approached his car, leading police on a chase into Calumet City, Illinois. After crashing into another vehicle and fleeing on foot, authorities searched Young’s car and found a loaded firearm with its serial number removed. Investigators determined that Young had prior felony convictions, including for being a felon in possession of a firearm, which legally barred him from owning 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 Hammond Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Caitlin M. Padula and Francis Sohn prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that coordinates efforts among law enforcement agencies and community organizations to reduce violent crime and gun violence. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a strategy to strengthen PSN by focusing on building trust within communities, supporting local organizations that prevent violence, setting targeted enforcement priorities, and measuring program outcomes.
“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,” according to the statement.
