Four men with previous violent felony convictions in Indianapolis have been sentenced to federal prison for illegally possessing firearms, following separate investigations and prosecutions. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana announced that Christopher Martin, Desmond Hess, Andrew Pernell Jr., and Jessie Stephens received sentences ranging from nearly five to seven and a half years.
Christopher Martin, 33, was sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He had prior convictions for reckless homicide and possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon.
Desmond Hess, 33, received a five-and-a-half-year sentence on two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. His criminal history includes convictions for criminal confinement and possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon.
Andrew Pernell Jr., 44, was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He had previously been convicted of dealing cocaine and illegal firearm possession.
Jessie Stephens, 24, received the longest sentence at seven and a half years. His record includes strangulation, domestic battery resulting in serious bodily injury, intimidation, criminal confinement, and resisting law enforcement.
The cases resulted in the seizure and forfeiture of several firearms by law enforcement agencies. These included multiple Glock handguns—some equipped with extended magazines or machinegun conversion devices—as well as pistols reported stolen from Hamilton County or elsewhere.
In November 2023, officers from the Lawrence Police Department attempted to stop Hess and Martin during a traffic stop; both fled before crashing their vehicle. Police recovered loaded firearms from inside the car—including one reported stolen—and arrested both men later on outstanding warrants.
In July 2024, an off-duty Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) officer encountered Pernell Jr., who brandished and pointed a semiautomatic pistol at him before fleeing. Officers later apprehended Pernell carrying another loaded handgun that had been reported stolen in 2022.
On February 10, 2025, IMPD officers located Stephens near the residence of someone protected by a no-contact order against him; he tried to discard his loaded handgun when approached but was arrested without incident.
“Convicted violent felons who continue to arm themselves pose a grave threat to our communities. These prosecutions demonstrate our commitment to working with federal, state, and local law enforcement to remove illegal firearms from the streets and hold offenders accountable. We will not tolerate individuals who repeatedly disregard the law and endanger public safety,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana.
“The prosecution of convicted felons who unlawfully possess firearms is among the ATF’s highest priorities. These convictions underscore the agency’s continued commitment to reducing violent crime. Regrettably, these offenders chose actions inconsistent with the obligations imposed by their prior convictions, and they will now bear the consequences,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Jorge Rosendo.
“Each of these cases demonstrates how critical it is to keep firearms out of the hands of convicted violent felons to protect our communities,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The FBI will continue working with our partners to identify and remove illegally possessed guns from the hands of those who are prohibited from having them.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), IMPD, and Lawrence Police Department conducted these investigations. Sentences were handed down by U.S. District Court Judges Jane Magnus-Stinson, Tanya Walton Pratt, and James P. Hanlon.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jayson W. McGrath, Brendan J. Sullivan, and Matt Barloh prosecuted these cases on behalf of the government.
These prosecutions were part of efforts under the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force (ICGTF), which brings together law enforcement personnel across central Indiana counties—including Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan, Johnson, and Shelby—to address violent crime through collaborative strategies focused on locating suspects involved in illegal gun activity.
