Defendant had three prior drug charges on his criminal history
PRESS RELEASE
Indianapolis -United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced today that an Indianapolis man was sentenced in federal court on drug and weapon charges. Brant Chaszar, 35, was sentenced to 262 months (over 21 years) imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
“Trafficking in heroin not only brings gun violence to a community, it contributes to the opioid crisis our country faces," said Minkler. “Helping to reduce crime in our neighborhoods, is, and will remain a top priority of this office."
In June 2015, law enforcement officials learned that Chaszar was dealing fentanyl-laced heroin in Indianapolis. They obtained a search warrant for his residence on the near Southside of Indianapolis. As officers approached Chaszar’s residence, he ran from agents and threw a loaded 40-caliber handgun he was carrying to the ground. He was apprehended and found to be in possession of fentanyl-laced heroin.
When agents served a search warrant on his home, they located ammunition, marijuana and additional heroin.
Chaszar has three narcotic-related prior convictions on his record. Because he is a convicted felon, he is not legally permitted to carry a firearm.
This investigation was jointly conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the United Drug Task Force of Hendricks County.
“Drug dealers profit from the weakness of addiction and leave a trail of sadness by introducing synthetic opioids such as fentanyl into our communities," said Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Indianapolis Drug Enforcement Administration, Greg Westfall. “DEA is committed to the safety of our neighborhoods by bringing drug dealers to justice."
According to Assistant United States Attorney Barry Glickman who prosecuted this case for the government, Chaszar must serve six years of supervised release following his sentence.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
