United States Attorney’s Office Announces Sentence in Gun Possession Case

Armed career criminal receives enhanced sentence for lengthy criminal history

INDIANAPOLIS– Acting United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler, today announced the sentencing of an Indianapolis man for illegally possessing a firearm. O. C. Todd, 54, Indianapolis, was sentenced to 215 months (nearly 18 years) in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. He was found guilty in July of this year.

“Prosecuting violent felons who possess firearms will remain a top priority for our office,” said Acting United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler. “Those who think we are not serious will have time to think about it in federal prison. The evidence demonstrates that Mr. Todd was stalking two women with a bag containing a loaded gun, a roll of duct tape, zip ties, and baby oil. The combined efforts of law enforcement to get Mr. Todd off the streets of Indianapolis should make citizens feel safer.”

Court documents state on April 18, 2013, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Officers (IMPD) received a call to the 1600 block of East Orange Street on a man stalking two women with binoculars. When officers arrived, they saw Todd standing near a pickup truck and watched him drop a blue nylon bag. Todd got into the truck and sped away.

Officers pursued Todd and stopped him a short while later. When officers returned to the original scene, they located the blue bag and inside found a loaded .38 caliber pistol, a roll of duct tape, two large nylon zip ties and a container of baby oil. Todd told officers he was on the Southside of Indianapolis looking for work and because gasoline was cheaper there.

Todd has a lengthy criminal history that made him eligible for enhanced sentencing as an armed career criminal. His history includes:

Five counts of Criminal Confinement, Marion County, 1980

Resisting Law Enforcement, Marion County, January 2000

Resisting Law Enforcement, Marion County, May 2000

This investigation was conducted by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

“ATF is committed to combating gun violence in our communities,” said Michael Boxler, ATF Special Agent in Charge for the Columbus Field Division. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to make our communities safer and remove violent offenders from our streets.”

“Persons who prey upon our community, in particular women and children, should receive the maximum sentence allotted by law. It’s obvious that this case warrants attention due to the continuous violent history this individual has shown”, said Chief Rick Hite, “I want to thank our officers and our federal partners for bringing this suspect to justice.”

According to Gayle Helart who prosecuted the case for the government, Todd must pay a $5000 fine and faces five years of supervised release after serving his sentence.