Armed Indianapolis Drug Dealer Sentenced to 55 Months in Federal Prison for Trafficking Heroin and Cocaine

INDIANAPOLIS — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Indiana, Southern), published as received.

INDIANAPOLIS- Donte Hill, 31, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 55 months in federal prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin and Cocaine.

According to court documents, on March 1, 2022, at approximately 7:30pm, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) officers responded to reports of shots fired near the area of 21^st Street and Post Road. Upon their arrival, officers observed a Black Audi SUV stopped at a nearby intersection with a missing rear-end license plate. At 21^st and Sussex Avenue, officers activated their emergency overhead lights and attempted to stop the Audi for the violation. The driver, later identified as Donte Hill, fled at a high rate of speed, and led officers on a chase covering approximately two miles before he fishtailed and crashed into an unmarked police vehicle near 38^th Street and Tutor Park Drive.

Donte Hill exited the driver side of the inoperable Audi and fled the scene on foot. As officers gave chase, they observed Hill put his right hand directly inside his hooded sweatshirt. The handle of a firearm was protruding from the front pocket. Hill continued to ignore verbal commands from law enforcement officers and fled toward Mitthoeffer road, running through thick vegetation and brush. Officers were able to make contact with Hill and placed him under arrest.

Officers located a black handgun, $1,278 in cash, a .45 caliber magazine and approximately 14 grams of cocaine on Hill’s person. At the time of his arrest, Hill was also wearing a body armor vest. A search of the Audi led to the discovery of another firearm, a digital scale, 21.8 grams of heroin, approximately 69 grams of marijuana, and approximately 48 grams of marijuana edibles. In his guilty plea, Hill admitted he intended to distribute the illegal drugs.

Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division, and IMPD Chief Randal Taylor made the announcement.

ATF and IMPD investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. As part of the sentence, Judge Pratt ordered that Hill be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison. Hill was also issued a $500.00 fine.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Peter A. Blackett, who prosecuted this case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.