SOUTH BEND — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)), published as received.
SOUTH BEND – Jason Waikel, 47 years old, of Warsaw, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm as an Armed Career Criminal, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Waikel was sentenced to 188 months in prison and 48 months of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, Waikel became a person of interest when the Warsaw Police Department investigated an incident where shots were fired from a moving car in July of 2025. Police executed a search warrant on Waikel’s car and found a bullet hole in the driver’s side trunk lid. Police executed a search warrant on a storage unit that Waikel owned and recovered four firearms. Waikel later admitted to police that he had fired shots during the shooting incident. Waikel is an Armed Career Criminal and is thus prohibited from possessing firearms. Waikel’s prior convictions include battery resulting in bodily injury and two different convictions for offenses committed on separate occasions for robbery while armed with a deadly weapon.
“The Defendant has a 30-year criminal history of serious violent crimes involving firearms. His continued use of drugs, violent behavior, and bad decisions constitute a flagrant disrespect for the rule of law and create a serious risk to our neighborhoods and communities of Northern Indiana. This stern sentence provides accountability and serves to protect our communities from his future criminal actions. Close collaboration and strong partnerships between the Warsaw Police Department, the Kosciusko County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were instrumental in bringing this man to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Mildred.
“This case demonstrates the serious consequences for repeat violent offenders that illegally possess firearms. Our partnerships in the region are strong, and I am grateful for the hard work and dedication of the US Attorney’s Office, Warsaw Police Department, and the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office. ATF remains steadfast in our commitment to keep firearms out of the hands of violent felons and to continue working alongside our partners to keep our communities safe,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge, Region 2, Christopher Amon.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Warsaw Police Department, and the Kosciusko County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Barrier and former Assistant United States Attorney Hannah T Jones.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
