HAMMOND, Indiana – Johnny A. Bangs, a 46-year-old resident of Lake Station, was handed a 90-month prison sentence by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund, following his guilty plea to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. The punishment was announced by Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Bangs’s sentence also includes a supervised release term of 24 months. According to court documents, in the sweltering summer of 2023, Bangs engaged in two cocaine sales. During a raid at his Lake Station residence on June 14, 2023, law enforcement agents uncovered substantial evidence of his criminal enterprise: cocaine, drug proceeds, and an arsenal of firearms including 43 long-barrel rifles and shotguns, seven handguns, and ammunition.
The investigation into Bangs was a collaborative effort by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Porter County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Toth prosecuted the case with vigor.
This conviction is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a multi-level law enforcement initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence in communities across the nation, making neighborhoods safer for all residents. Launched on May 26, 2021, PSN focuses on fostering trust, supporting community-based organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes to strengthen public safety.
The Department of Justice’s commitment to PSN is unwavering, with a strategic crime reduction strategy that places emphasis on these core principles: building trust in communities, supporting prevention efforts, enforcing focused strategies, and evaluating results. Bangs’s sentence serves as a stark reminder of the consequences faced by those who engage in drug trafficking and gun-related offenses.
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Key Facts
- State: Indiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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