An Indianapolis man, LaDarien McGee, 27, has been sentenced to a five-year term in federal prison, following his guilty plea on charges of possessing both fentanyl and cocaine with the intent to distribute them. Additionally, McGee faces a subsequent three-year stint of supervised release, as mandated by the court. This sentence comes in response to his arrest earlier this year, which saw law enforcement officers apprehend McGee after a brief chase at a local gas station.
On January 9, 2024, officers of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD), acting on a state search warrant and fugitive arrest warrant, confronted McGee at the gas station located on West Washington Street. The encounter subsequently resulted in a chase, ending with McGee's capture and the discovery of fentanyl pills weighing approximately 3.2 grams on his person. Also recovered from McGee's vehicle was a 9-millimeter Glock handgun, according to details released by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana in an announcement.
Investigations continued post-arrest, as authorities carried out another search warrant at McGee’s residence, where they uncovered fentanyl pills totaling 39.04 grams, a stash of cocaine, and multiple firearms. These included a 5.7 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun and a .357 caliber Smith & Wesson revolver found under pillows on McGee's bed, a 5.56 caliber Kel-Tec AR variant pistol beside the bed, and a .380 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun within a clothing rack. The discovery was notable not just for the drug haul, but for the violation of federal law - McGee was already prohibited from firearm possession due to a previous felony conviction.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, emphasized the menace presented by armed drug dealers in the midst of the opioid crisis. "Fentanyl is devastating our communities at an unprecedented rate. Illegally armed fentanyl dealers pose an even greater danger to the public," Myers stated. The case against McGee was investigated with the cooperation of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives alongside the IMPD. The sentencing was handed down by U. S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley A. Blackington prosecuting.
