INDIANAPOLIS - Joseph Lloyd, 37, of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing a firearm and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.According to court documents, on Wednesday, December 2, 2020, officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) were dispatched to Joseph Lloyd’s Indianapolis residence to assist the Marion County Probation Office with an address verification and compliance check. At the time, Lloyd was on probation for dealing cocaine.Lloyd was notified of the purpose for the visit and allowed officers into the residence. Once inside the home, officers found a handgun directly underneath Lloyd’s wallet. In the bedroom, officers found another handgun inside a hidden compartment in the closet. In the same compartment, officers found controlled substances, including a total of 53.5 grams of methamphetamine, 2.43 grams of Oxycodone, and 5.81 grams of Alprazolam. Officers also found $1,960 in cash and two digital scales with white drug residue in his closet. Lloyd admitted in court that he possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to sell it.Lloyd was previously convicted of felony dealing in cocaine and possession of a narcotic drug. These felony convictions prohibit him from ever legally possessing a firearm under federal law.

Photo by Somchai Kongkamsri from Pexels

“Even on parole for drug trafficking, this defendant persisted in dealing in deadly drugs while armed with deadly weapons,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “Our neighborhoods deserve to be protected from these crimes and those who commit them must be held accountable. Armed drug dealers are a high priority for federal prosecution. I encourage everyone returning to our communities from prison to engage with available services to turn their lives around, rather than returning to conduct that will land you right back behind bars.”“Unfortunately, firearms and drugs are often found together,” stated Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “In this case, the defendant clearly did not reform his ways after serving time and returned to the community intent on putting poison on the streets and keeping a firearm to ‘protect’ his business. ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to break this destructive cycle.”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. Judge Pratt also ordered that Lloyd be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 4 years following his release from federal prison.U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Gibson, who prosecuted this case.This 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. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.