A U.S. District Court judge in Hammond sentenced a Gary man to 60 months in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, according to a release from U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Darrius L. Smith, 34, will follow his prison term with two years of supervised release, according to the sentence handed down by Judge Philip P. Simon.
According to documents in the case, on January 11, 2023, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Smith. During a search of the vehicle, a loaded semi-automatic .40 caliber firearm was recovered.
The firearm was previously reported stolen. Smith’s criminal history revealed that he had prior felony convictions for burglary and auto theft, and as such, is prohibited from possessing the firearm in this case, according to the release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Gang Response Investigative Team investigated the case with the assistance of the Lake County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Padilla prosecuted the case.
