United States Drug Enforcement Administration

HAMMOND, Ind. – Alfred A. Cooke, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration-Merrillville, Indiana, and U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson for the Northern District of Indiana announced that Johnny Lamar Sawyer, 31, of Southfield, Michigan, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Senior Judge James T. Moody after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.

Sawyer was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release.

According to documents in the case, on or about Aug. 17, 2020, Sawyer flew into Chicago’s Midway Airport with one suitcase. Later that day, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop in Porter County, Indiana, on a vehicle in which Sawyer was a passenger. A search of that vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 10 pounds of cocaine recovered from the suitcase.   

This case was investigated by the DEA, with the assistance of the Indiana State Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Nozick.