HAMMOND- Jabari Casey, 45 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of crack cocaine, and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred. Casey was sentenced to a total of 120 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on August 5 and August 15, 2025, law enforcement utilized a confidential informant to buy quantities of fentanyl-laced heroin and crack cocaine from Casey outside a business in Gary, Indiana. Later that month, on August 20, 2025, investigators executed a search warrant on Casey’s nearby residence, seizing nearly a pound of fentanyl-laced heroin, a quantity of crack cocaine, packaging material, digital scales, and a Glock pistol. “Jabari Casey will spend the next ten years in federal prison for distributing deadly poison into our neighborhoods and using a firearm to protect his illegal trade. This sentence sends a clear message to those who traffic drugs and inflict violence on our streets: our office, alongside our dedicated law enforcement partners, will relentlessly pursue and prosecute you. We remain fiercely committed to removing armed drug dealers from our neighborhoods and improving the safety of every resident in this district,” said US Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Lake County Sheriff’s Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristian R. Mukoski. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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.