One year in, 30 charged in Indiana as part of Chicago effort to disrupt flow of illegal firearms

U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois John R. Lausch Jr. provided an update on the work of the cross-jurisdictional Firearms Trafficking Strike Force last week, which noted 30 individuals are facing charges in Indiana — more than any other state participating in the effort.

The U.S. Department of Justice launched the strike force in July 2021 to disrupt illegal firearms trafficking and reduce gun violence in Illinois and its surrounding states.

Led by Lausch in Chicago, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collaborates with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and other federal, state and local law enforcement partners. According to gun trace data, a significant number of firearms recovered in Chicago originate outside the city and are illegally trafficked into it, including from Indiana.

The Hoosier State has charged a total of 30 individuals thus far, according to Lausch’s report. Comparatively, Illinois has charged eight individuals with another six being indicted and an additional six being convicted. In Wisconsin, four individuals have been charged and another four have pleaded guilty while one has been indicted.

In the Indiana Northern District, thus far, 24 individuals have been charged with violating various federal firearms laws, including the straw-purchasing of more than 150 firearms, lying about their eligibility to purchase more than 100 firearms, transferring firearms to a person who resided in another state and engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, according to Lausch.

Thirty firearms illegally purchased in Indiana have been recovered by law enforcement in Chicago and the surrounding area, with some of the firearms being linked to shootings and seized from prohibited persons, Lausch said. ATF led the investigations with assistance from law enforcement throughout the Indiana Northern District.

“While I am the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, this Office will continue to recognize that combatting violent crime – particularly gun crimes – requires coordinated, multi-jurisdictional efforts among federal and state prosecutors and federal, state, and local law enforcement,” Indiana Northern District U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson said in a statement. “We know that through these combined efforts the safety of the citizens in our respective communities is improved.  We want all law-abiding citizens to be able to enjoy the many cultural, social, and recreational activities in the Chicagoland area without fear of violence.”

In the Indiana Southern District, six individuals have been charged with straw purchasing 90 firearms, more than 20 of which were later discovered at crime scenes in Chicago, according to the report.

“Illegal firearms traffickers help fuel the horrific gun violence inflicted on our communities and families,” said Indiana Southern District U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers. “Working with law enforcement partners across agencies and jurisdictions, our office will continue to prioritize investigations and prosecutions that stem the tide of crime guns onto the streets of all of our communities and hold gun traffickers accountable.”

Agencies in central Indiana also created  a task force to address gun violence last year.

Due to a rise in shootings in central Indiana, the Indiana Legislature passed a law in 2021 to create the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force, expanding the Indianapolis Crime Gun Intelligence Center.

According to data provided by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department in June, the task force made 269 total arrests (237 state, 32 federal) and seized 286 firearms through their efforts last year. So far in 2022, there have been at least 150 total arrests (140 state, 10 federal) with 106 firearms seized.