INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Tyesha Clark, 39, of Indianapolis, will spend the next 21 months in federal prison after admitting she knowingly armed her son with a handgun intended for criminal use. Clark was sentenced Friday after pleading guilty to making false statements on a federal firearms purchase form and unlawfully transferring a firearm to a juvenile.
Court documents reveal that on March 13, 2021, Clark purchased a Glock 19X 9mm handgun from a licensed dealer, falsely claiming she was the actual buyer. The gun wasn’t for her; it was for her sixteen-year-old son. The ATF investigation uncovered damning text message exchanges between Clark and her son, discussing the handgun’s model, cost, and ammunition while the purchase was underway.
The texts didn’t stop there. Investigators found evidence Clark was aware of her son’s history of illegal gun trading. She knew he’d allegedly been involved in shootings, robberies, and gang activity. The messages further demonstrated Clark actively helped cover up her son’s alleged crimes, disposing of firearms believed to be used in illegal activities and even advising him on removing evidence from social media. While her son is not currently facing federal charges, authorities say he remains innocent until proven guilty.
“Far too many of the shootings and killings in our communities are committed by people who have no lawful business having a gun in the first place,” stated U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana. “Straw purchasers share a measure of culpability for the violence and death they facilitate. The federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that illegally arming violent criminals carries serious consequences.”
The case was a joint effort by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD). U.S. District Court Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson handed down the sentence and ordered two years of supervised release following Clark’s prison term. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy C. Fugate prosecuted the case.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement and communities. The Department of Justice recently strengthened PSN with a focus on fostering trust, supporting community organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results. The ATF continues to investigate illegal firearm trafficking across the country, targeting those who put weapons into the hands of criminals.
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