SOUTH BEND – Mark Murphy, Jr., 37 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Murphy was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release."
For too long, methamphetamine has torn apart Indiana families, fueled violent crime, and devastated our streets. This individual chose to profit by spreading poison directly into the neighborhoods of South Bend, actively endangering our communities. Police executed a search warrant at Murphy’s residence and recovered about 439 grams of pure methamphetamine packaged in a suitcase. Today’s ten-year sentence sends a definitive message: if you bring deadly drugs into our communities, you will face severe consequences in a federal prison. This successful prosecution was made possible through the robust partnerships between the Elkhart Intelligence and Covert Enforcement Unit, the ATF, and the South Bend Police Department. By combining local expertise and neighborhood knowledge with federal resources and intelligence, investigators successfully cut off a dangerous pipeline of narcotics before it could cause further harm to South Bend families. The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains dedicated to removing chronic offenders from the streets, disabling drug trafficking operations, and building safer, more resilient neighborhoods for everyone,” said United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Elkhart Intelligence and Covert Enforcement Unit, and the South Bend Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse. 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.