Willie J. Hatch was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady following his plea of guilty to 5 drug counts and a finding of guilt by a jury on a gun count.
U.S. Department of Justice news release:
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 210 Months In Prison
For Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesFort Wayne, Indiana (May 7, 2025) – Willie J. Hatch, 32 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady following his plea of guilty to 5 drug counts and a finding of guilt by a jury on a gun count announced Acting United States Tina L. Nommay.
Hatch was sentenced to 210 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on four occasions in September and October 2022, Hatch distributed methamphetamine.DEA In October 2022, Hatch possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessed a firearm while being a prohibited person. He pleaded guilty to the five drug counts, and after a trial in December 2024, a jury found him guilty of the firearm offense.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Fort Wayne Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stacey Speith and Justin Sheridan.
This case was also 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.
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