Fort Wayne Woman Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison

FORT WAYNE – Lorraina M. Rakes, 24 years old, of Fort Wayne Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly Brady after pleading guilty to providing firearms to a person she knew was a convicted felon, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

Rakes was sentenced to 36 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.

According to documents in the case, between April 9 and 26, 2024, Rakes sold or disposed of three firearms to an individual she knew was a convicted felon; a person who could not legally purchase or possess a firearm.   

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 Stacey R. Speith.

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.