Jakwan D. Braster, Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises, Indiana 2020

Jakwan D. Braster, a 30-year-old man from Fort Wayne, Indiana, has been sentenced to 100 months in prison for his role in maintaining a drug house and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Braster pleaded guilty to maintaining a drug house in Fort Wayne from February through August 2020, where he manufactured and distributed controlled substances. He also illegally possessed firearms, despite having a prior felony conviction for resisting law enforcement, and used them to facilitate and protect his drug trafficking operations at the drug house.

The investigation into Braster’s activities was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fort Wayne Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes the FBI, the Indiana State Police, the Allen County Sheriff’s Department, and the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was also assisted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s North Central Laboratory, the Indiana State Police Laboratory, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony W. Geller and Teresa L Ashcraft. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, which targets high-level drug traffickers and uses a multi-agency approach to dismantle their operations.

The case was also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence in communities. The program focuses on fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community-based organizations, and setting strategic enforcement priorities.

Braster’s sentence includes 100 months in prison and 2 years of supervised release. His case serves as a reminder of the ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking and gun violence in Indiana and across the country.

The investigation into Braster’s activities highlights the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies in Indiana and the importance of addressing the root causes of crime in communities.

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