FORT WAYNE, IN – Payne T. Randle, 40, is facing two decades behind bars after a jury found him guilty of flooding Fort Wayne streets with poison and illegally packing heat. Chief Judge Holly A. Brady delivered the sentence of 240 months – that’s 20 years – followed by a decade of supervised release. The bust, announced by United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson, pulls another dangerous player off the streets.
The trouble began back on February 4, 2021, when the Allen County Drug Task Force got a tip about a suspicious package headed for Randle’s residence. Inside, investigators found a hefty stash: 368 grams of methamphetamine and 444 grams of marijuana. But that was just the beginning. A subsequent raid of Randle’s home uncovered even more – methamphetamine, fentanyl, more marijuana, a loaded firearm, a massive 50-round drum magazine, and enough ammunition to escalate a small war. They also seized four additional firearms.
Randle wasn’t a first-timer. Court documents reveal a lengthy rap sheet, including previous felony drug convictions and a felony robbery conviction. These prior offenses are what sealed his fate regarding the firearms – a convicted felon isn’t legally allowed to possess them. The feds didn’t mess around, and the jury clearly saw through his attempts to skirt the law.
The investigation was a coordinated effort, pulling in resources from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Allen County Drug Task Force, the Allen County Police Department, and both the DEA’s North Central Laboratory and the Indiana State Police Laboratory. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey R. Speith and Justin C. Sheridan handled the prosecution, building a rock-solid case against Randle.
This isn’t just about one man going to prison. It’s part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal program designed to bring law enforcement and communities together to tackle violent crime and gun violence. Launched in May 2021, the updated PSN strategy focuses on building trust with communities, supporting violence prevention programs, and strategically targeting the most dangerous offenders.
Randle’s sentence sends a clear message: dealing drugs and illegally possessing firearms in Fort Wayne – and anywhere else in this country – will be met with the full force of the law. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the ongoing efforts to clean up the streets and keep our communities safe. Randle’s case demonstrates the effectiveness of multi-agency collaboration in dismantling drug trafficking operations and removing dangerous individuals from society.
Related Federal Cases
- Fort Wayne Man Charles R. Byers Gets 150 Months for Meth, Gun · Indiana
- Fort Wayne Meth Ring Busted: 7 Face Federal Charges · Indiana
- Fort Wayne Felon Gets 10-Year Gun Sentence · Indiana
- Fort Wayne’s George T. Oliver Jr. Gets 10 Months for Mail Theft · Indiana
- Fort Wayne Manager Lisa Downey Gets 30-Year Sentence for Wire Fraud · Indiana
Key Facts
- State: Indiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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