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An Indianapolis man has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after admitting he illegally possessed a machine gun and caused a chaotic scene outside a downtown Indianapolis hotel as large crowds gathered to watch the broadcast of game seven of the NBA Finals.
U.S. District Judge Matthew Bookman handed down the prison term for A’Jon Hall, 20, on Monday and ruled that it must be followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, the incident occurred the night of June 22, 2025, when thousands of people were downtown to watch the broadcast of the championship game from Oklahoma City between the Thunder and the Indiana Pacers.
At about 10:52 p.m., officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department were alerted by a member of the public that a masked man dressed in black and carrying a backpack was displaying multiple firearms near a major hotel on Georgia Street. A news release from the U.S. Attorney’s office did not name the hotel.
As officers moved toward the area, they observed a crowd running in panic from a nearby street. Police located the individual, later identified as Hall.
When officers attempted to detain him, Hall ignored commands to stop and fled into a parking garage stairwell.
During the pursuit, officers heard a loud bang consistent with Hall discarding the backpack. Hall attempted to hide between the third and fourth floors of the garage but ultimately surrendered after repeated verbal commands.
Two days later, on June 24, 2025, IMPD officers, assisted by the Indianapolis Fire Department, recovered the discarded backpack. Next to it, officers found a Glock 23 .40-caliber handgun equipped with a Glock switch — a machine gun conversion device — and a 50-round drum magazine.
Under federal law, machine gun conversion devices are classified as machine guns, even when not installed, and are illegal for individuals to possess or sell.
“Machine gun conversion devices are among the most dangerous illegal weapons circulating in our communities,” said Tom Wheeler, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “A single switch can turn a handgun into a fully automatic weapon capable of firing dozens of rounds in seconds, putting innocent people at extraordinary risk.”
He said his office is committed to working with local law enforcement to ensure Indianapolis remains safe as it continues to host major events that draw large crowds.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nate Walter as part of a federal-local partnership targeting violent crime in Marion County.
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