Michael Howie

HAMMOND — A Gary man was sentenced Tuesday to 68 months in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.

Antawan Smith, 35, initially pleaded not guilty in March 2024 but later agreed to plead guilty in February to the charges in exchange for lesser prison time.

The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Philip Simon carries with it 12 months of probation at the conclusion of prison time and a requirement that Smith forfeit the firearm and ammunition in the case.

On Feb. 26, 2024, police responded to a complaint about a man who pulled out a gun during an altercation in the 4100 block of W. 23rd Place in Gary, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of I

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