South Bend Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison

SOUTH BEND – Bernard Pinkerton, 27 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

Pinkerton was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by 1 years of supervised release. 

According to documents in the case, on June 23, 2018, Pinkerton was driving a stolen car with a friend; in the vehicle was marijuana, a scale, plastic baggies, $1,100 cash, and a loaded 9mm handgun that had been reported stolen. Pinkerton was initially charged federally by compliant.  Pinkerton confessed to possessing the gun and drugs.  He had prior felony convictions in Cook County, Illinois involving drugs and a firearm.

This case was part of our Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program.  The program brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. Learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods.   

This case was investigated by the ATF with assistance from the South Bend Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.

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