Elkhart Man Gets 7 Years for Meth, Gun Charges

Thomas Hamet, 38, of Elkhart, Indiana, is headed to federal prison for seven years after being caught with methamphetamine and a loaded Beretta handgun in his vehicle during a drug bust in February 2017. The hard-line sentence lands him 84 months behind bars, followed by two years of supervised release, for crimes that federal prosecutors say exposed the dangerous intersection of drugs and guns on Indiana streets.

U.S. District Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. handed down the sentence in South Bend federal court, where Hamet pleaded guilty to two counts: possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Both charges carry stiff mandatory minimums, and in Hamet’s case, the feds didn’t back down.

Court documents lay out the facts: on February 3, 2017, law enforcement found Hamet in possession of a controlled quantity of methamphetamine inside his car. Prosecutors argued the amount and packaging were consistent with distribution, not personal use. Alongside the drugs, they recovered a Beretta handgun—loaded and ready—stashed within reach, evidence, they say, that Hamet armed himself to protect his illicit trade.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led the investigation, working in tandem with the St. Joseph County Police Department. Sources familiar with the case say the arrest was part of a broader push to dismantle small-scale but high-risk drug operations that fuel violence in northern Indiana neighborhoods.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Schaffer, who prosecuted the case, emphasized the threat posed by armed drug dealers. “When drugs and firearms mix, communities pay the price,” Schaffer said. “This sentence sends a clear message: we will aggressively pursue those who traffic poison and pack heat to protect their profits.”

U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II confirmed the outcome, stating federal authorities remain locked in a relentless battle against drug networks, even at the street level. For Thomas Hamet, that battle ends with seven years in federal custody—a price, prosecutors say, for choosing profit over public safety.

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