INDIANAPOLIS — A Beech Grove man has been sentenced to more than five years in prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing a firearm.
John Lamond II, 38, was arrested in September of 2020 after fleeing from police during an attempted traffic stop. According to court documents, IMPD officers observed a vehicle, driven by Lamond, begin to travel in reverse upon seeing a fully marked police car. Lamond continued to drive recklessly in reverse in the middle of the road for two blocks. When officers activated their emergency lights and initiated a traffic stop, Lamond exited his vehicle and fled into a nearby home. After being instructed multiple times to stop running, Lamond was arrested by officers.
During a search of the vehicle, officers found a 9mm handgun between the driver’s and passenger’s seats belonging to Lamond. The vehicle Lamond was driving was determined to be stolen.
Due to six previous felony convictions, Lamond is prohibited from possessing a firearm. Those convictions include criminal confinement, carrying a handgun without a license, receiving stolen auto parts, criminal recklessness, strangulation, and possession of methamphetamine.
“This dangerous, convicted felon has no business owning a firearm, and in-fact, is prohibited from doing so by federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Myers “I commend the outstanding first responders who protected the public by arresting a dangerous criminal who through his actions has shown an utter disregard for the law. The serious sentence imposed today will protect the public from further crimes by Mr. Lamond and demonstrates that our office will work closely with our local and federal partners to make our communities safer.”
ATF and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Lamond be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 2 years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Pamela S. Domash, who prosecuted this case.
According to the release, this 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.
