Gary Man Sentenced to 68 Months in Prison

HAMMOND- Antawan Smith, 35 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

Smith was sentenced to 68 months in prison followed by 12 months of supervised release.

According to documents in the case, on February 26, 2024, law enforcement responded to a complaint of an armed man near a house. Upon their arrival, officers encountered Smith and recovered a loaded semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine from him. He attempted to flee but was apprehended.  Smith’s criminal history revealed that he has 5 prior felony convictions, and as such, is prohibited from possessing the firearm.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force and the Gary Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Toth.          

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.