Kenneth Young, a 52-year-old resident of Hammond, Indiana, has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentencing was delivered by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund, according to an announcement from Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Court documents state that on October 5, 2021, law enforcement officers attempted to stop Young’s vehicle in Hammond. Although he initially pulled over, Young fled the scene as an officer approached his car. He led police on a chase into Calumet City, Illinois, where he crashed into another vehicle and then attempted to escape on foot. Officers searching his car found a loaded firearm with its serial number removed.
Young’s criminal record includes prior felony convictions for offenses such as being a felon in possession of a firearm. These convictions prohibit 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 help from the Hammond Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Caitlin M. Padula and Francis Sohn prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that brings together law enforcement agencies and community organizations to reduce violent crime and gun violence nationwide. The Department of Justice launched an updated violent crime reduction strategy for PSN on May 26, 2021. This strategy focuses on building trust within communities, supporting organizations that work to prevent violence before it occurs, setting targeted enforcement priorities, and measuring results.
