A Gary, Indiana resident, Deyon Washington, has been sentenced to over four years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The 45-year-old Washington received a 51-month prison term followed by a two-year supervised release period, as per the announcement from Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor, which was cited by the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Indiana.
Diving into the details of the case, it was found that on September 11, 2021, Washington was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over in Valparaiso, Indiana. A search of the vehicle turned up a loaded pistol with an attached extended magazine. Authorities determined that Washington's criminal record, which included 2001 and 2002 felony convictions for armed robbery, disqualified him from ever legally possessing any firearm or ammunition.
The sentencing comes as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative that aims to bring together different tiers of law enforcement and community members to tackle the issue of violent crime and gun violence. The program, which was rejuvenated with a revised strategy on May 26, 2021, seeks to build trust within communities, support organizations working to prevent violence, prioritize enforcement strategies effectively, and measure outcomes of these collaborative efforts.
In the matter of oversight, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives spearheaded the investigation leading to Washington's arrest and sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Toth was tasked with aggressively prosecuting the case. The overarching goal with cases like this is to significantly curb violent crime and gun-related offenses, working to make our neighborhoods "safer for everyone," as echoed in sentiments from the Justice Department's strategy to combat violence.
