Department of Justice

HAMMOND- Andrew Buchanan, 35 years old, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon, after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.

Buchanan was sentenced to 108 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.

According to documents in the case, in March 2022, Buchanan was driving a stolen SUV southbound on Interstate 65 when law enforcement stopped him for committing multiple traffic violations. As an officer approached the SUV, Buchanan pulled away at a high rate of speed and fled several miles before crashing the vehicle. He then exited the vehicle, ran up an exit ramp, and attempted to conceal himself, but was apprehended. After he was taken into custody, law enforcement searched the SUV and recovered a loaded AR-15 assault rifle and two loaded semi-automatic pistols with obliterated serial numbers. Both pistols also had “auto sear” devices attached to them which converted them into fully automatic weapons. Buchanan’s criminal history revealed that he has five prior felony convictions and is therefore prohibited from possessing these firearms.

This case is the result of the investigation of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lake County Drug Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Toth.

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.