INDIANAPOLIS – LeMarkus Hamilton, 32, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on August 25, 2021, law enforcement officers were conducting a narcotics investigation involving Hamilton, and were aware there were several active warrants for his arrest. Officers saw Hamilton leave his Indianapolis home and travel to a fast-food restaurant near east 21st Street in Indianapolis. Hamilton parked his vehicle and entered the restaurant. Uniformed police officers entered the restaurant and placed Hamilton under arrest for his active warrants and removed him to the parking lot near his vehicle. Following a court-authorized search of the vehicle, officers seized a loaded .40 caliber handgun along with a loaded fifty-round drum magazine.
Officers continued their investigation at Hamilton’s residence and interviewed Hamilton’s sister as she was leaving the residence in a vehicle. Hamilton’s sister admitted that she and the child’s mother removed drugs and guns from the residence, placed them in the vehicle and left. Hamilton’s child’s mother was also interviewed and admitted that Hamilton’s sister placed several guns wrapped in a blanket and a backpack in her vehicle, which she admitted belonged to Hamilton. Officers located four rifles and two handguns and backpack in the vehicle. The backpack contained 2.9 kilograms of methamphetamine, 767 grams of ecstasy pills, marijuana, scales, packaging, and a large sum of U.S. currency. Hamilton was interviewed by officers and admitted that he possessed the firearms and drugs seized from his vehicle and person and his child’s mother’s vehicle.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division, made the announcement.
ATF investigated the case in conjunction with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. Sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II. As part of the sentence, Judge Sweeney ordered that Hamilton be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence D. Hilton who prosecuted this case.