Repeat Felon on Supervised Release Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison After Throwing AR-Style Pistol out the Window During High-Speed Chase

INDIANAPOLIS -Alonzo Smith, 26, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. 

According to court documents, on April 13^, 2021, Alonzo Smith was identified by Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) officers as a suspect in a shots fired incident that occurred on March 27, 2021. That incident involved multiple individuals, including Smith, firing approximately 100 gunshots outside of an Indianapolis business. One of the fired rounds struck a fully marked IMPD vehicle as it was passing by. 

Also on April 13, 2021, IMPD detectives located Smith near his Indianapolis residence. Detectives observed Smith leave the residence and drive northbound in a blue Chevy Malibu. Smith parked, then entered a silver Chevy Monte Carlo located on the street near 2249 North Arsenal Avenue. He drove northbound, approaching East 25^th Street, where officers initiated a traffic stop at the intersection of East 25^th Street and Brouse Avenue. After initially pulling over, Smith made a U-turn and fled westbound. Officers pursued Smith, who reached speeds of nearly 80 miles per hour on city streets. During the pursuit, Smith threw an AR-style pistol out the window of the car. 

Officers lost sight of Smith, but later observed him driving north on Meridian Street. An officer reinitiated the pursuit but was involved in a serious accident at that intersection of Meridian and 20^th Street. The officer sustained a broken nose, jaw, and orbital bone, lost four teeth, and needed multiple surgeries. 

Smith was taken into custody approximately one week later. At the time of his arrest, Smith was on federal supervised release after serving a 40 month prison sentence following a prior federal conviction for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. 

“This defendant chose to continue illegally arming himself and endangered the lives of civilians and law enforcement officers in his reckless flight from the police,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Repeat armed criminals drive the violence on our streets and putting them in prison makes our communities safer. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to hold these offenders accountable.” 

“Working together with our law enforcement partners is the most effective way to make our communities safer and this sentence demonstrates that collaboration as a violent offender is now off the streets and behind bars where he can no longer imperil the lives of innocent people,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with the assistance of IMPD. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon. In addition to 4 years imprisonment on these charges, Judge Hanlon sentenced Smith to 1 year imprisonment for violating the terms of his federal probation, that will run consecutively with his new sentence.  Judge Hanlon also ordered that Smith be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Kelsey L. Massa, who prosecuted this case.