Makai Boyce, a 19-year-old from Mishawaka, Indiana, has been sentenced to 75 months in prison by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco. The sentencing follows Boyce's guilty plea for possessing a machinegun, as announced by Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Boyce will also serve two years of supervised release following his prison term. Court documents reveal that in December 2023, Boyce had a stolen handgun with an extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device capable of automatic fire. He used the machinegun to shoot at an occupied residence and later led police on a foot chase, during which he discarded the weapon in a backyard doghouse.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with support from the Indiana State Police, South Bend Police Department, and St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph P. Falvey and Katelan McKenzie Doyle prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aiming to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The Department launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy on May 26, 2021, focusing on building community trust, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.