Alan Heaton, a 35-year-old resident of Fort Wayne, Indiana, has been sentenced to 63 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentence was handed down by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly Brady. After his release from prison, Heaton will serve three years on supervised release.
Court documents indicate that Heaton unlawfully possessed a firearm following prior felony convictions in Allen County, Wells County, and DeKalb County.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith prosecuted the case.
Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor announced the sentencing.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence by coordinating efforts among law enforcement agencies and communities. According to the Department of Justice, PSN's strategy focuses on building trust within communities, supporting organizations that work to prevent violence, setting targeted enforcement priorities, and evaluating results through measurable outcomes. More information about Project Safe Neighborhoods can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psn.
"The 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," according to officials.
