South Bend Man Sentenced to 121 Months in Prison for Controlled Substance Offense

SOUTH BEND - Kumar Bishop, 47 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.

Bishop was sentenced to 121 months in prison followed by 7 years of supervised release.

According to documents in the case, between September 2025 and November 2025, Bishop conspired with DeCarlos L. Smallwood and Sanena Williams to distribute methamphetamine to others in the Northern District of Indiana.

"Kumar Bishop will spend more than the next ten years in federal prison. This sentence holds him accountable for supplying large quantities of methamphetamine that poisoned our communities for profit. Methamphetamine is a destructive drug that tears families apart and ravages entire neighborhoods. Thanks to the relentless dedication of our partners on the Homeland Security Task Force, a major source of this poison has been removed from Northern Indiana. This office remains steadfast in its commitment to disrupting drug trafficking networks and protecting our communities from those who exploit addiction for personal gain," said U.S. Attorney Adam L. Mildred.

"The Drug Enforcement Administration, along with its law enforcement partners, will continue to hold accountable those responsible for bringing drugs into our Indiana communities. Mr. Bishop maintained southwest border drug connections, which he used to supply the South Bend region with methamphetamine. His actions brought suffering and addiction to our neighbors and neighborhoods. Today, the South Bend region is safer and healthier with Mr. Bishop off the streets; he is no longer a threat to our communities."

"Strong partnerships are at the heart of every successful law enforcement investigation. The more than ten-year sentence in this case demonstrates what is possible when we work collaboratively to investigate and prosecute drug traffickers which in turn disrupts the flow of dangerous drugs into our communities. ATF will continue to work closely with our HSTF partners towards our shared goal of reducing violent crime and making America safer." - ATF Chicago Field Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon

"Meth dealers should know this: You can't hide from us, and you can't profit from poisoning our neighborhoods without consequences," said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O'Malley. "The Homeland Security Task Force and our partners are going after the people who bring this poison into our communities. We will find them, we will put them out of business, and we will put them behind bars."

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service works tirelessly with our federal, state and local partners to combat the distribution of illicit substances. The sentencing of Kumar Bishop is an example of law enforcement working together towards the common goal of securing our communities from dangerous individuals.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, including the DEA Merrillville District Office, DEA Chicago Special Response Team, DEA Detroit Special Response Team, DEA St. Louis Special Response Team, and DEA North Central Laboratory, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Indiana State Police, South Bend Police Department, St. Joseph County Sheriff's Office, Mishawaka Police Department, and the St. Joseph County Prosecutor's Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lydia T. Lucius and Joel Gabrielse.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Indianapolis comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, IRS, Indiana State Police, and other partners, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Offices for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana.

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