Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 96 Months in Prison

FORT WAYNE – Cantrell James, 34 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

Cantrell James was sentenced to 96 months in prison followed by 30 months of supervised release

According to documents in the case, on November 6, 2024, law enforcement found James in possession of two firearms. James has an extensive criminal history including felony convictions for carrying a handgun without a license, failure to return to lawful detention, possession of cocaine, escape, felon carrying a handgun, and resisting law enforcement. As a convicted felon, James is prohibited from possessing the firearms in this case.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Teresa L. Ashcraft.

This case is part of 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.