Violent Felon sentenced to over 6 years in Federal Prison for possessing firearm
Thomas Burkett, 45, of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been sentenced to 77 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.
According to court documents, on August 4, 2021, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) investigators were patrolling near the Marathon gas station on North Shadeland Avenue when they saw Thomas Burkett exit the driver’s seat of a white Pontiac with a pistol protruding from his pant pocket.
Officers ran the Pontiac’s license plate and determined that Burkett was the registered owner of the vehicle and had a suspended driver’s license. Investigators reviewed Burkett’s criminal history and learned that he had been previously convicted of numerous felonies, including strangulation, kidnapping, escape, theft, possession of marijuana, and conspiracy to commit armed robbery. As a result of his criminal convictions Burkett is prohibited from ever legally possessing a firearm.
Officers detained Burkett before he left the gas station and recovered a black 9mm handgun from under the driver’s seat of Burkett’s car.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers, Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division, and Chief Randal Taylor of IMPD, made the announcement.
“Multiple convictions for violent crimes were not enough to convince this offender to stop carrying a deadly weapon,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “The serious federal prison sentence imposed here should send a message to citizens returning to the community from custody: if you choose to possess a gun you will go right back to prison. Our office will continue to partner with the ATF and IMPD to ensure that the most dangerous armed offenders are taken off our streets.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Burkett 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.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
IU Athletics examining opportunities to modernize Memorial Stadium
Later this week, IU Athletics will take the first step to explore opportunities and options to modernize Memorial Stadium. IU Athletics recently engaged Nations Group, one of the country’s premiere sports planning and advisory firms, to assist in this effort related to the home of Indiana University Football. A large swath of IU Athletics stakeholders – including ticket buyers, fans, donors, and business leaders, among others – will receive a secure, online survey soliciting feedback on a wide array of topics related to modernizing the facility and the gameday experience for Hoosier fans.
Among the topics covered in the survey are a reimagined concourse, new social gathering spaces, upgraded concessions and restrooms, and a series of enhanced premium seating options and locations.
Memorial Stadium has been the home of the Indiana Football since 1960. Two recent major renovations significantly altered and improved the stadium’s look and function. The completion of the North End Zone Student-Athlete Development Center in 2009 enclosed the north end of the stadium, connecting the east and west stands to create a horseshoe layout. The North End Zone project also featured new state-of-the-art office, meeting, locker room, banquet and strength & conditioning space for the Hoosier football program and the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, turning Memorial Stadium into the hub for the IU Athletics Department.
A second major renovation came in 2018 with the completion of the IU Excellence Academy. The innovative, student-centered, 66,575-square foot facility enclosed the south end of the stadium to create a bowl effect for spectators as well as a bold new “front door” to the IU Athletics campus. The Excellence Academy houses premiere medical, rehabilitation and nutrition facilities, as well as first-of-its-kind leadership and life skills center and program for the benefit of all IU’s student-athletes.
While those two projects – which cost a combined $86 million – centered on enhancing the student-athlete experience by transforming the day-to-day functionality of the facility, this effort is centered on the gameday experience for Hoosier fans.
Stakeholders will receive the survey over a period of days beginning on Wednesday, August 16.
Indiana Attorney General acts to protect Lugar Tower residents and to hold the Indianapolis Housing Agency accountable
Following an investigation by his team, Attorney General Todd Rokita has obtained legal commitments from the Indianapolis Housing Agency (IHA) to rectify miserable living conditions at the Lugar Tower Apartments and to extend new protections to tenants.
The problems stem from the IHA’s alleged mismanagement of the 17-story, 250-unit apartment building in Downtown Indianapolis, which serves elderly and disabled residents. At least 40 tenants filed complaints earlier this year which detailed deteriorating conditions at the property. A lack of building security at the property has attracted criminal activity, including assaults and robberies. Squatters have inhabited vacant units and common areas of the property.
The building at times has also lacked hot water service, working elevators and even secure locking devices on residents’ doors. Other problems have included fecal matter in common stairwells and rampant pest infestations.
Attorney General Rokita’s Homeowner Protection Unit (HPU) responded to tenants’ complaints — communicating with IHA, inspecting the building, interviewing residents and engaging with other stakeholders to ensure issues were remedied.
The IHA agreed to address the issues as part of an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance (AVC) that Attorney General Rokita’s office filed with the Marion County Superior Court. Attorney General Rokita commended IHA Chief Executive Officer Marcia Lewis for taking the residents’ concerns seriously and working constructively with his team to implement solutions.
Already, crews have cleaned common areas, fixed doors and locks, installed new water heaters and repaired elevators. Management also has increased on-site security. The AVC requires IHA to agree to a two-year compliance period in which they must maintain a licensed broker company as property manager of the building, maintain a reasonable security presence, allow access for future inspections and submit quarterly compliance reports to the Attorney General.
The AVC also includes an agreement that IHA will follow the Indiana landlord tenant statutes and local health and housing codes.
The HPU’s mission is to protect the rights of all individuals involved in the housing market — including tenants, homeowners and aspiring homeowners — by investigating and redressing deceptive acts in connection with mortgage lending and violations of relevant state and federal laws.
This Week in Hoosier History
1859 – First air mail (in a balloon) took off from Lafayette, when John Wise piloted a balloon with a destination of New York. Weather issues forced him to land near Crawfordsville, Indiana, and the mail reached its final destination via train.
For more local news . . . Check out our archived episodes of What’s Happenin’ and Talkin’ Sports with Nick Jenkinson