INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Desmond Breaziel, 33, of Indianapolis, is headed back to federal prison after being sentenced to 75 months for illegally possessing a firearm. The case, stemming from a bizarre scene at a Waffle House parking lot, highlights the revolving door of crime and punishment plaguing the city.
On March 7, 2022, Lawrence Police Department (LPD) officers found Breaziel passed out behind the wheel of a Ford Explorer. Upon waking, officers discovered a loaded Taurus .38 caliber handgun and 81 methamphetamine pills on his person. A search of the vehicle also turned up a fanny pack containing marijuana and a digital scale, painting a picture of a man deeply involved in the drug trade.
This wasn’t Breaziel’s first brush with the law, or federal prison. He was already prohibited from possessing a firearm due to previous felony convictions, including dealing narcotics and a prior federal conviction for – you guessed it – illegally possessing a firearm as a felon. To add insult to injury, Breaziel was still under court supervision following his release from his previous federal sentence when he was caught with the gun.
“Illegally armed felons and drug dealers help drive the gun violence plaguing our families and neighbors,” stated Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. The statement, while standard boilerplate, rings hollow in a city struggling with escalating violence. Myers did commend the quick response of LPD and the ATF, and emphasized that the sentence serves as a warning to others.
Lawrence Police Chief Gary Woodruff echoed that sentiment, thanking the U.S. Attorney’s Office and ATF for “focusing federal resources on holding armed felons accountable.” Woodruff lauded the collaboration between federal, state, and local agencies, claiming it leads to a safer central Indiana for “Hoosiers.” Whether that’s actually the case remains to be seen, given the constant stream of similar cases hitting the courts.
U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt imposed the 75-month sentence and ordered three years of supervised release following Breaziel’s imprisonment. Assistant United States Attorneys Abhishek Kambli and Samantha Spiro prosecuted the case. The ATF led the investigation, with assistance from LPD. For a man with a history of ignoring the law, perhaps a longer sentence is the only language he understands.
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