Thomas Burkett, Possession of Firearm as a Felon, Indiana 2021
Indianapolis, Indiana - In a shocking display of disregard for the law, a local man has been sentenced to 77 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.
Thomas Burkett, 45, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to the crime, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
According to court documents, on August 4, 2021, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) investigators were patrolling near the Marathon gas station on North Shadeland Avenue when they saw Thomas Burkett exit the driver’s seat of a white Pontiac with a pistol protruding from his pant pocket.
Officers ran the Pontiac’s license plate and determined that Burkett was the registered owner of the vehicle and had a suspended driver’s license. Investigators reviewed Burkett’s criminal history and learned that he had been previously convicted of numerous felonies, including strangulation, kidnapping, escape, theft, possession of marijuana, and conspiracy to commit armed robbery.
As a result of his criminal convictions Burkett is prohibited from ever legally possessing a firearm. Officers detained Burkett before he left the gas station and recovered a black 9mm handgun from under the driver’s seat of Burkett’s car.
“Multiple convictions for violent crimes were not enough to convince this offender to stop carrying a deadly weapon,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “The serious federal prison sentence imposed here should send a message to citizens returning to the community from custody: if you choose to possess a gun you will go right back to prison.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt, who also ordered that Burkett be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison.
The case is 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.
Defendant: Thomas Burkett
Criminal Charges: Possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon
City and State: Indianapolis, Indiana
Exact Date: August 4, 2021
Sentence or Outcome: 77 months in federal prison
Facts:
- Burkett was previously convicted of numerous felonies, including strangulation, kidnapping, escape, theft, possession of marijuana, and conspiracy to commit armed robbery.
- Officers recovered a black 9mm handgun from under the driver’s seat of Burkett’s car.
- The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aiming to reduce violent crime and gun violence.
Key Facts
- State: Indiana
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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