Montrell Douglas Patterson, a 31-year-old resident of Gary, Indiana, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentence was handed down by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund, according to an announcement from Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Patterson will also serve 24 months of supervised release following his prison term.
Court documents state that on July 10, 2024, officers from the Gary Police Department responded to a citizen complaint. Upon arrival, an officer saw Patterson with a firearm equipped with an extended magazine in his waistband. Patterson attempted to flee and jumped a fence but dropped the firearm during the escape. The recovered weapon had a live round in the chamber and the magazine was loaded with ammunition.
Records show that Patterson had prior felony convictions for intimidation, criminal recklessness, and escape. These convictions prohibited him from legally possessing firearms or ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force investigated the case with support from the Gary Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Padilla prosecuted the case.
The prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that coordinates law enforcement agencies and community groups to reduce violent crime and gun violence across neighborhoods. According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s strategy launched on May 26, 2021, PSN focuses on building trust within communities, supporting organizations aimed at preventing violence before it starts, prioritizing strategic enforcement efforts, and evaluating outcomes through measurable results (https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/department-justice-launches-violent-crime-reduction-strategy-strengthen-project-safe).
“Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results,” stated Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
