Indiana Man Found Guilty of Drug Trafficking
HAMMOND, Ind. - On July 14, 2026, Darod Wheeler, 55, of Gary, was found guilty following a two-day trial presided over by U.S. District Court Judge Philip P. Simon.
Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 8, 2026.
“The Defendant was found guilty for trafficking methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin. According to trial testimony and documents in the case, on July 24, 2025, during an initial controlled purchase outside his residence in Gary, Indiana, Wheeler sold more than 5 grams of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant acting at the direction of law enforcement. Five days later, on July 29, 2025, during a second controlled purchase outside that residence, Wheeler sold more than 5 grams of methamphetamine, a quantity of fentanyl, and a quantity of heroin to that informant. The jury was advised that less than an hour after the second controlled purchase concluded, officers searched Wheeler’s residence and located the money used to pay Wheeler for those drugs. After being advised of his Miranda rights, the Defendant confessed to drug trafficking, according to trial testimony,” said Northern District of Indiana U.S. Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
The jury also found that Wheeler has a prior federal conviction for a “serious drug felony,” distribution of fentanyl, in the Northern District of Indiana for which he served more than 12 months of imprisonment, and for which he was released from serving any term of imprisonment related to that offense within 15 years of July 24 and July 29, 2025. Based on that prior conviction, Wheeler faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years of imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Porter County Multi-Enforcement Group, the Porter County Sheriff’s Office, and the Valparaiso Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristian R. Mukoski and Ambris Saravanan.
