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

INDIANAPOLIS- Desmond Breedlove, 34, and DaJaun Breedlove, 23, of Indianapolis, Indiana, have both been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

DaJuan Breedlove was sentenced on September 1, 2023, to over 6 years in federal prison. Desmond Breedlove was sentenced in August to a total of 7 years in federal prison for the current heroin trafficking and firearms charges and an additional 2 years for violating the terms of his federal supervised release. At the time he committed the current crimes, Desmond Breedlove was serving 3 years of federal supervised release. Desmond Breedlove was released from federal prison on April 23, 2019, after serving 30 months in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to court documents, on May 29, 2021, IMPD officers were patrolling the area of E. 38th Street near the Conoco gas station on the east side of Indianapolis when two individuals, later identified as Desmond Breedlove and DaJaun Breedlove, were seen conducting a drug deal. Officers also saw handguns protruding out of each man’s pants pockets. After the deal concluded, IMPD officers stopped the men after observing their vehicle commit a traffic violation.

Desmond Breedlove was the driver, and admitted to officers that he did not have a valid driver’s license. DaJuan Breedlove was in the front passenger seat. During a lawful search of the vehicle, officers located two 9-millimeter handguns in the glovebox, three additional magazines loaded with 9-millimeter ammunition, a .380 caliber magazine and a 30-round extended magazine, as well as two small baggies containing 21.27 grams of heroin and a digital scale.

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

“Our families continue to suffer far too many tragedies stemming from substance abuse and gun violence. Everyone deserves a neighborhood that is safe and free from armed drug dealers like these defendants,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “I commend the IMPD, ATF, and our federal prosecutors for their work to make us safer with these prosecutions. The serious federal prison sentences imposed here show that those who deal deadly drugs armed with deadly weapons will be held accountable for the damage they do to our communities.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and IMPD investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by Chief United States District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Chief Judge Pratt also ordered that both men be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following their release from federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy C. Fugate and 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.

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