Denardo A. McCormack, a 34-year-old resident of South Bend, Indiana, has been sentenced to 211 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. The sentence was handed down by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after McCormack pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Court documents state that McCormack manufactured and packaged methamphetamine pills at a residence in South Bend. On July 2, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the location, where they found McCormack alone inside along with thousands of blue pills containing methamphetamine. Authorities also recovered two pill presses, approximately 9.5 pounds of methamphetamine, nine loaded firearms, and over $26,000 in cash.
Acting U.S. Attorney M. Scott Proctor commented on the case: “Denardo McCormack in effect converted this house into a drug-trafficking bunker, complete with a nearly ten-pound supply of meth, a ready supply of cash, and an arsenal with which to defend both,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Proctor. “These are the tools of a dealer with no compunction about putting his entire community in danger. Thankfully, our partners in state, local, and federal law enforcement, working with the excellent prosecutors in our Office, ended this danger by bringing his case to a just result. They should all be commended for their efforts.”
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke added: “The arrest and prosecution of Denardo McCormack should serve as a loud message to anyone in north central Indiana who chooses to sell drugs and commit acts of violence,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke. “Law enforcement and prosecutors will work tirelessly and with zeal to silence the cruelty and evilness of their ways. The Drug Enforcement Administration and its partners, specifically in the St. Joseph County region, work exceptionally well together. Drug trafficking organizations in the region should know this is not the place to wreak havoc; they will be held accountable for their crimes. Today, Mr. McCormack would suggest the same.”
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), with support from several agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), South Bend Police Department, Mishawaka Police Department, Indiana State Police and St. Joseph County Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Jerome W. McKeever prosecuted the case.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative designed to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration among various levels of law enforcement and communities.
