Gary Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Firearm Offense

HAMMOND- Daiquan McClinton, 25 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred. 

McClinton was sentenced to 46 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release.

According to documents in the case, on March 28, 2024, the defendant led officers on a high-speed chase through Gary, Indiana, after fleeing from a traffic stop.  During the pursuit, the defendant threw a loaded AK-47 style pistol equipped with a high-capacity magazine from his vehicle.  The previous year, the defendant had been convicted of unlawful possession of an unregistered machinegun, a felony, in the Northern District of Indiana.  The defendant was on federal supervised release for that conviction when he committed this offense. 

“Daiquan McClinton has repeatedly demonstrated a flagrant disregard for the law and a complete indifference to the safety of our communities. As a convicted felon on federal supervised release for possessing an unregistered machine gun, McClinton knew exactly what the law required. Instead of reforming his behavior, he chose to arm himself with an AK-47 style pistol, flee from law enforcement at high speeds, and recklessly discard a powerful weapon out of a vehicle window during a high-speed pursuit. McClinton’s escalating criminal history and repeated firearms offenses make him a clear and present danger to our neighborhoods. This sentence sends an unequivocal message: if you illegally possess firearms, violate the terms of your federal supervision, and endanger the public to evade arrest, you will be held fully accountable. Our office, alongside our law enforcement partners, remains relentlessly committed to removing violent, repeat offenders from our streets and protecting the families who deserve to live in safe, peaceful communities,” said US Attorney Adam L. Mildred.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Lake County Sheriff’s Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristian R. Mukoski.             

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

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