Hoosier State Today

Jason Compliment, 42, of Brownsburg, Indiana, has been sentenced to 22 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. In February 2024, a federal jury found Compliment guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon following a two-day trial.

According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, on July 16, 2022, the defendant sold three firearms to a north Indianapolis pawnshop for $725. Video surveillance footage captured him selling the firearms and receiving the pawn ticket in his own name.

Mr. Compliment has numerous prior felony convictions in Hendricks and Marion Counties—including eight burglaries, resisting law enforcement, and possession of methamphetamine—making him an Armed Career Criminal under federal law. In one prior case, the defendant burglarized a church and stole funds meant for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. Each one of these previous felony convictions prohibits the defendant from ever legally possessing a firearm again.

“The defendant’s long list of prior criminal sentences, ranging from probation to incarceration, have failed to deter him from continuing to illegally possess guns,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “He showed so little respect for the law he was even willing to sell the guns under his own name. Much of the gun violence inflicted on our communities is caused by individuals who are prohibited by law from having a firearm in the first place. Thanks to the work of the ATF, IMPD, and our federal prosecutors the public will be protected from this career criminal for years to come.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S District Judge James P. Hanlon.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy C. Fugate and Bradley A. Blackington for prosecuting this 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 make 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 communities; supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence; setting focused enforcement priorities; and measuring results.

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