James E. Burch II, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Indiana 2024

A South Bend man has been sentenced to 46 months in prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

James E. Burch II, 38 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to the charge, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.

According to documents in the case, in August 2024, police were summoned to a residence where Burch was both seen and photographed pointing a .357 caliber revolver. When police arrived, they located the firearm and arrested Burch.

Burch's criminal history includes three prior felony convictions, any one of which prohibit him from possessing the firearm in this case.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with the assistance of the South Bend Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.

This case was also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndin/pr/south-bend-man-sentenced-46-months-prison