Max Gellersen, Illegal Gun Possession, Indianapolis IN, 2023

Indianapolis resident Max Gellersen, 27, is facing over three years in federal prison after a harrowing police chase and the discovery of an illegally possessed handgun. Gellersen was sentenced to 46 months for Possession of a Firearm by a Person Convicted of a Misdemeanor Crime of Domestic Violence, a charge stemming from a 2020 incident and subsequent flight from law enforcement.

The trouble began on August 6, 2020, when Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) officers responded to a reported domestic disturbance. By the time they arrived, Gellersen had already fled the scene, but the victim quickly detailed a terrifying ordeal: Gellersen allegedly pointed a gun at her, then physically assaulted her by striking and choking her. This initial act of violence set the stage for a dangerous escalation.

Later that same day, officers attempted to pull Gellersen over for a probation violation. Instead of complying, Gellersen floored it, leading IMPD on a reckless 120 mile-per-hour chase that ended only when his vehicle burst into flames. Even as he was being arrested, Gellersen reportedly directed officers to the location of the firearm hidden within his home – a Colt Series 4 handgun.

A subsequent search of Gellersen’s residence confirmed his admission. The handgun was found exactly where he’d indicated. But Gellersen wasn’t just in possession of a weapon; he was legally prohibited from having one. A 2018 misdemeanor conviction for Domestic Battery in Boone County stripped him of his Second Amendment rights.

U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers, speaking after the sentencing, emphasized the link between domestic violence and gun violence, noting that many perpetrators of both have a history of abuse. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office, in partnership with ATF and IMPD, will continue to prioritize federal prosecution of the armed criminals who pose the greatest danger to those closest to them and to the public,” Myers stated. Gellersen will also be subject to three years of supervised release following his prison term.

The case was a joint effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and IMPD, falling under the LEATH Initiative – a program named in honor of fallen IMPD Officer Breann Leath, killed while responding to a domestic disturbance call. The LEATH Initiative aims to concentrate resources on domestic violence offenders illegally armed with firearms. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abhi Kambli and Jayson W. McGrath prosecuted the case, with U.S. District Court Judge James P. Hanlon delivering the sentence.

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