Merrillville Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Firearms Offense

HAMMOND - Courteau D. Givens, 38 years old, of Merrillville, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.

Givens was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.

"Courteau Givens has a lengthy history of being unable or unwilling to comply with the law.

During a disturbance on February 5, 2023, Courteau Givens armed himself with a firearm and threatened a person. When police arrived, they discovered the gun and retrieved it. Being a convicted felon, Givens could not legally possess a firearm. His aggressive behavior towards others shows a willingness to use guns and violence as tools to get what he wants, making him a danger to the community. Enforcing this law is paramount to ensuring that our neighborhoods remain safe and our homes remain sanctuaries. By strictly prosecuting felon-in-possession cases, law enforcement and prosecutors remove illegally held weapons from our streets before they can be used to commit further violent acts. This prosecution is a direct result of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, a collaborative strategy involving federal, state, and local law enforcement to target the most violent offenders and reduce gun crime. Prosecuting these cases is one of our most effective tools for preventing gun violence before it strikes. We remain fully committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to hold illegal gun possessors accountable, take firearms out of the wrong hands, and secure the peace and safety that every resident deserves," said United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Merrillville Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin M. Padula.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department's commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

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