Joshua J. Hardy, Gun Possession, Indiana 2024

FORT WAYNE - A shocking turn of events in the quiet town of Auburn, Indiana, as Joshua J. Hardy, 35, was sentenced to 180 months in prison for gun possession.

The crime unfolded on multiple occasions between April 2023 and May 2024, when law enforcement found Hardy in possession of machineguns and illegally possessed firearms. Due to a prior felony conviction, Hardy was prohibited from possessing the firearms in this case.

The investigation culminated in Hardy's arrest on April 25, 2024, after he fled in a motor vehicle following a traffic stop. He ultimately crashed the vehicle into a building and was apprehended after a brief foot pursuit.

Courts records show that Hardy pleaded guilty to two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of possessing a machinegun, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.

According to the investigation, officers located eight machinegun conversion devices inside the vehicle Hardy was driving. A machinegun conversion device converts a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic firearm and qualifies as a machinegun under federal law.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the help of the Auburn Police Department, the DeKalb County Sheriff's Department, the Fort Wayne Police Department, the Garrett Police Department, the Hamilton Police Department, the Indiana State Police, and the Steuben County Sheriff's Department.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Teresa L. Ashcraft as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve.

Joshua J. Hardy, a 35-year-old man from Auburn, Indiana, was sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release for two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of possessing a machinegun.

Defendant: Joshua J. Hardy

Criminal Charges: Two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of possessing a machinegun

City and State: Auburn, Indiana

Arrest Date: April 25, 2024

Sentence or Outcome: 180 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release

Location: United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady's courtroom in Fort Wayne, Indiana

Fund or Money Amounts: None

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndin/pr/auburn-man-sentenced-180-months-prison