Hammond Man Sentenced to 66 Months in Prison For Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

HAMMOND- Jonas Derrico Smith, 54 years old, of Hammond, 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.

Smith was sentenced to 66 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.

"A drug dealer and robber will go to prison for five and a half years for possessing a firearm. The Defendant sold Xanax twice in October 2023 from his residence in Hammond, Indiana. Law enforcement executed a search warrant and recovered a loaded revolver, a semi-automatic pistol and multiple rounds of ammunition. Smith has prior felony convictions for armed robbery, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, and twice for distributing cocaine; all of which prohibit him from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Our community is safer due to the efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin M. Padula as part of Operation Take Back America," said U.S. Attorney Adam L. Mildred.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin M. Padula.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.