Four individuals with prior felony convictions in Indianapolis have been sentenced to federal prison for illegally possessing firearms. Each case was investigated and prosecuted separately, resulting in the removal of these offenders from the community.
Roscoe Nuckols, 39, received a sentence of 15 years and 5 months for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. His criminal history includes three felony burglary convictions. On October 5, 2023, police found Nuckols unconscious on a street with a handgun tucked into his shorts. Officers suspected he was under the influence of an illegal substance while carrying the weapon.
Andres Espinosa, 37, was sentenced to 5 years and 11 months for the same charge. Espinosa has previous convictions for conspiracy to commit robbery, unlawful possession of a syringe, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon. During a home-detention compliance check on August 5, 2024, officers discovered multiple firearms and ammunition hidden in his residence.
Stephen Davis, 41, received a three-year sentence after being stopped by police in Fishers early on January 28, 2024. Davis has prior convictions including sexual misconduct with a minor and failure to register as a sex offender. Police found him with knives and later discovered a loaded .22-caliber Glock handgun in his vehicle along with amphetamines.
Jarvis Watson Jr., 57, was sentenced to five years following an incident on December 31, 2022. Carmel police officers found him blocking traffic at a stop sign and discovered he had a Smith & Wesson pistol.
Federal law prohibits individuals with felony convictions from possessing firearms.
The investigations led to the seizure and forfeiture of several firearms: an FN 9 mm handgun; RF-15 rifle; Ruger handguns; Glock .22 caliber firearm; Smith & Wesson handguns; and other related equipment.
“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 ATF is pleased with the outcomes in all these cases,” said Special Agent in Charge Jorge Rosendo. By leveraging our unique capabilities in coordination with our partner agencies, we work to suppress violent crime at its core and help create safer neighborhoods. Our foremost concern remains felons who continue to illegally possess firearms in furtherance of criminal activity, and we will continue to hold them accountable.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD), Fishers Police Department, and Carmel Police Department were involved in investigating these cases. Sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judges Richard L. Young, Matthew P. Brookman, Tanya Walton Pratt, and Sarah Evans Barker.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany Preston, Carolyn Haney, Cristina Caraballo-Colon and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nate Walter prosecuted these cases.
These prosecutions are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which brings together law enforcement agencies at all levels along with community organizations aiming to reduce violent crime through focused enforcement strategies that foster trust within communities.
