Gary Schmucker, a 47-year-old resident of Warsaw, Indiana, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison and two years of supervised release after being found guilty by a jury of possessing a firearm as an unlawful drug user. The sentencing took place on January 22, 2026, before United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty, according to an announcement from United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Court documents show that in the months prior to late April 2024, Schmucker regularly used methamphetamine and marijuana while possessing at least three firearms. One of these was a semi-automatic rifle modified for rapid fire. On April 28, 2024, law enforcement responded to his property after reports that he had been using methamphetamine throughout the previous day and night while armed. Schmucker refused to leave his home and engaged in a standoff with officers for several hours before being detained.
United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred stated: “This case is an example of how collaboration between state, local, and federal law enforcement can achieve the most effective available response to drug and gun offenses. We thank Kosciusko County Prosecuting Attorney J. Brad Voelz and his office, along with the agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department, Nappanee Police Department, and Warsaw Police Department for partnering with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to help make Hoosiers safer to live, work, and raise their families.”
The prosecution was handled by Acting Criminal Division Chief Joseph P. Falvey and Assistant United States Attorney Jerome W. McKeever.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through cooperation among various levels of law enforcement and community organizations. The Department's strategy for PSN focuses on building trust within communities, supporting prevention efforts by community-based groups, prioritizing targeted enforcement actions, and evaluating results.
