Clifford D. Johnson, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana
Makai Boyce, a 19-year-old resident of Mishawaka, Indiana, has been sentenced to 75 months in prison following his guilty plea for possessing a machinegun. The sentence was handed down by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco, as announced by Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
In addition to the prison term, Boyce will undergo two years of supervised release. Court documents reveal that in December 2023, Boyce had a stolen handgun equipped with an extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device known as a "switch," which enables automatic firing. He used the machinegun to fire at an occupied residence and later led police on an extensive foot chase, during which he disposed of the weapon in a backyard doghouse.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with support from the Indiana State Police, South Bend Police Department, and St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph P. Falvey and Katelan McKenzie Doyle prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a strategy to enhance PSN's effectiveness by focusing on trust-building within communities, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.
