Fort Wayne Man Sentenced For Drug & Firearms Charges
Friday, December 27, 2024, 8:20 A.M. ET. 1 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
FORT WAYNE, IN.- Last Friday, December 20, 2024, Kendrick D. Bates, 40, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, appeared in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana and was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Holly A. Brady to 360 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release for his conviction of federal narcotics and firearms violations.
   A federal jury previously found Bates guilty of Distribution of Methamphetamine; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; and Being a Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm.
According To The U.S. Attorney’s Office
According to U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson and evidence presented at trial, Bates distributed quantities of methamphetamine in late 2021 and also maintained a drug distribution premise from September 2021 through March 2022. During a court-authorized search of Bates’ residence in March 2022, investigators uncovered and seized multiple firearms.
During that time, Bates knew he was prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition due to his prior felony conviction for distributing cocaine and methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Johnson commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fort Wayne Safe Streets Gang Task Force and the Fort Wayne Police Department, with assistance from the Indiana State Police, the Allen County Sheriff’s Department, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for the successful prosecution of Bates.
