Remon D. Phillips, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Indiana 2023

FORT WAYNE, IN – Remon D. Phillips, 39, learned the hard way that a criminal record doesn’t erase the law. The Fort Wayne resident was handed a 120-month (10 year) federal prison sentence Wednesday after a jury convicted him of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Holly A. Brady also tacked on two years of supervised release following his decade behind bars.

The case unfolded after a February 20, 2022, traffic stop gone wrong. A Fort Wayne Police officer attempted to pull over the vehicle Phillips was riding in, but the driver bolted, initiating a short pursuit. During the chase, Phillips brazenly leaned out the rear window and pointed a handgun directly at the pursuing officer. He then discarded the weapon, a Taurus 9mm with a high-capacity, 30-round magazine, in a desperate attempt to ditch the evidence.

It didn’t work. Police recovered the firearm, and a check of Phillips’ record revealed a lengthy and disturbing history. He’s a repeat offender with nine prior felony convictions, automatically disqualifying him from legally possessing a gun. The feds didn’t mess around; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) took the lead on the investigation, with assistance from the Fort Wayne Police Department.

The three-day jury trial in October 2022 presented a clear picture of Phillips’ disregard for the law and the danger he posed. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah E. Nokes and Lesley J. Miller Lowery successfully argued that his actions warranted a significant prison term. The Department of Justice, through the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana, made sure Phillips paid the price.

Federal officials are framing the sentencing as a victory for “Project Safe Neighborhoods” (PSN), a program designed to reduce violent crime and gun violence through coordinated law enforcement efforts. The initiative emphasizes building trust with communities, supporting violence prevention programs, and focusing enforcement on the most pressing threats.

While PSN aims for long-term solutions, the Phillips case is a stark reminder that immediate consequences are crucial. A man with a history of felonies, actively threatening law enforcement with a loaded weapon, will now spend the next ten years in federal prison – a message sent loud and clear to anyone considering a similar path in Fort Wayne, or anywhere else.

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