Wanted felon sentenced to 7 years in prison after SWAT standoff

INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis man was sentenced to seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing a firearm.

According to police records, the Howard County Sheriff’s Office attempted to arrest Michael Dennis on April 20, 2021 while he was staying at a Baymont Hotel in Kokomo. He had several outstanding warrants.

Dennis refused to let officers into his hotel room and notified them that he had a gun.

The Howard County Sheriff's Office SWAT team was called to the scene and attempted to get Dennis to exit the room. Dennis refused, leading to officers spraying pepper spray under the door. Dennis told officers if they sprayed the pepper spray one more time, he would shoot. He then fired one shot into the ceiling of the hotel room.

After several hours of negotiations, Dennis complied with police and exited the room. He was taken into custody.

Officers confiscated a 9mm pistol from inside the room.

Dennis is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law due to previous felony convictions, including Criminal Recklessness, Strangulation and Battery on a Child.

“Every day, law enforcement officers do their duty to protect their public, knowing they may encounter a violent offender with a gun,” Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, said. “We have seen far too many tragedies in Indiana and across the country when law enforcement officers encounter criminals with a history of domestic violence and a gun in their hands. It is a testament to the skill, professionalism and training of the responding Howard County Deputies that this defendant was arrested without injury to the public, law enforcement officers or himself. The sentence imposed today demonstrates the commitment of our office, the ATF, and our law enforcement partners to protect the public from these dangerous offenders.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated this case. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt ordered that Dennis be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years after his release from prison. He will also be fined $1,000.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that focused on reducing violent crime and gun violence.

This case is also part of the Law Enforcement Action to Halt Domestic Violence (LEATH) Initiative. LEATH is a partnership between the ATF, IMPD and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana. It focuses on law enforcement resources on domestic violence offenders who illegally possess firearms.