Hammond Man Sentenced to 192 Months in Prison

HAMMOND- Jahmal Sanders, 30 years old, of Hammond, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and for possessing a stolen firearm, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.

Sanders was sentenced to 192 months imprisonment followed by 2 years of supervised release. The 192 months was ordered to have 144 months to be served consecutive to the state sentence he is currently serving, and 48 months to be served concurrent with his state sentence.

"This is a great example of how Project Safe Neighborhoods partners the intelligence and efforts of local law enforcement with the investigative resources of the federal government to make our community, and nation, safer. A previously convicted robber and burglar is going to prison for possessing five guns, one of which was stolen in a burglary. He is also currently serving a separate sentence for rape, and he will then be punished for these crimes. We are thankful for the fine work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation/Gang Response Investigative Team Task Force and the Hammond Police Department to put this violent criminal behind bars," Mildred said.

According to documents in the case, on February 10, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Sanders' residence in Hammond. Officers recovered five firearms, including a firearm that was stolen during the burglary earlier that morning. Sanders' criminal history revealed he has prior felony convictions for robbery and burglary, and such, is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. He is currently serving a 13-year sentence for a rape conviction out of Lake County, Indiana.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation/Gang Response Investigative Team Task Force and the Hammond 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.