Lamone Lauderdale, a 37-year-old resident of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to over 20 years in federal prison. The sentence comes after he pleaded guilty to charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Following his prison term, Lauderdale will be subject to five years of supervised release.
Court documents reveal that on January 19, 2022, Lauderdale was stopped by a Zionsville Police Department K9 officer for speeding. A K9 sniff indicated the presence of drugs in the vehicle. When asked to exit the car, Lauderdale fled and led police on a high-speed chase along US-421. The pursuit ended when he struck two vehicles and damaged his tire near Michigan Road in Indianapolis. Lauderdale then attempted to escape on foot with a black bag.
Authorities eventually apprehended him without the bag, which was later found abandoned. It contained significant quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, as well as drug paraphernalia and firearms including a handgun and ammunition. Further search of his vehicle uncovered additional methamphetamine, another digital scale, another handgun, and more ammunition.
“Traffickers of deadly drugs, armed with deadly weapons, are a poison in our communities,” stated John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Those who choose to endanger our families to further their own greed will be identified and prosecuted."
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives alongside the Zionsville Police Department. U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II imposed the sentence.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress expressed gratitude towards Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayson W. McGrath for prosecuting the case successfully.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aiming to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies at various levels.