EVANSVILLE, IN – Reko D. Levels Jr., 26, is headed to federal prison for two years after being caught with a stolen 9mm pistol while already a convicted felon. The sentencing, handed down Tuesday, highlights a pattern of disregard for the law, according to federal prosecutors.
On September 20, 2021, Evansville Police Department officers arrested Levels outside his apartment complex while executing an active felony warrant from another state. A search of his person revealed the loaded 9mm tucked into his right pant pocket. The gun, investigators quickly discovered, had been reported stolen just six days prior, on September 4, 2021.
Levels attempted to spin a story to investigators, claiming he *intended* to return the stolen firearm to its rightful owner. That didn’t fly. The 26-year-old already had a federal gun conviction on his record, stemming from a 2018 case in the Northern District of Florida where he was convicted of stealing a firearm from a licensed dealer, aiding and abetting in the theft, and possessing a firearm while under indictment in another case. A Vanderburgh County conviction for Criminal Recklessness in 2018 further stained his record.
“This defendant has continued to unlawfully arm himself, undeterred by even a prior federal gun crime conviction,” stated Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Repeat armed criminals drive the violence on our streets and holding them accountable will make our communities safer.” Myers vowed continued collaboration with law enforcement to target dangerous individuals.
Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge for ATF’s Columbus Field Division, echoed those sentiments. “Levels has demonstrated, through his history of stealing firearms and then possessing firearms as a convicted felon, that he poses a threat to public safety that we are all working to end,” McCormick stated. The case was a joint effort between the ATF and the Evansville Police Department.
U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young imposed the 2-year sentence and ordered one year of supervised release following Levels’ incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew B. Miller prosecuted the case, which falls under the umbrella of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) – a federal initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaborative law enforcement and community engagement. The Department of Justice launched a strengthened PSN strategy in May 2021 focusing on trust-building, community support, strategic enforcement, and measurable results.
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- Tara Nicole Shock, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, West Virginia 2018 · Virginia
- Brian Cutright, Unlawful Possession of Firearm, West Virginia 2018 · Virginia
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