Michigan City Man Sentenced to 63 Months in Federal Prison for Cocaine and Firearms Violations
Leto Lorenzo Hill, a 38-year-old resident of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison on October 29, 2026, after pleading guilty to distributing 28 grams or more of cocaine and violating federal prohibitions against possessing firearms as a convicted felon, justice.gov reported.
United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty handed down the sentence in South Bend, which will be followed by four years of supervised release. The case stems from a February 20, 2026, law enforcement operation where investigators executed a search warrant at Hill’s residence. Inside the home, officers recovered approximately 64 grams of crack cocaine, 45 grams of powder cocaine, and 60 marijuana plants actively growing in the basement.
Authorities also seized eight firearms during the search, noting that two of the weapons were loaded. Court records indicate that Hill was previously convicted of felony possession of cocaine in 2012, a prior conviction that legally barred him from owning or possessing any firearms.
United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred addressed the outcome following the sentencing hearing. “Leto Lorenzo Hill will spend the next five plus years in federal prison for distributing deadly poison into our neighborhoods and using a firearm to protect his illegal trade,” Mildred said, as noted in the justice.gov release.
The prosecution and investigation involved a coordinated multi-agency effort. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with analytical and technical assistance provided by the DEA North Central Laboratory, the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, the Michigan City Police Department, and the Indiana State Police Laboratory. Assistant United States Attorney Lydia Lucius prosecuted the matter.
Federal officials tied the prosecution to Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative designed to link federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies in combating violent crime. The framework operates across all 94 federal judicial districts, aligning with Operation Take Back America to target serious offenses and strengthen community safety measures.
