Police: Career Criminal Evansville Man Gets 20 Years in Federal Prison

“This defendant’s long history of violent crime and his attempt to draw a firearm on officers underscore exactly why federal firearm laws exist," said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Tom Wheeler

A judge's gavel and law books are seen in a courtroom. — Source: BrianAJackson/Getty Images

EVANSVILLE, Ind.–A man who police are calling a career criminal was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for attempting to draw a gun on detectives, drug possession, and intent to distribute heroin.

The Department of Justice says 36-year-old Binnie Bryant of Evansville pled guilty to possession of a firarm by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute heroin, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Court documents say that in 2024, detectives with the Evansville Police Department found a social media video showing Bryant displaying two semi-automatic pistols.

“Bryant is prohibited under federal law from possessing any firearm due to an extensive history of felony convictions, including two counts of armed robbery, four counts of criminal recklessness, two counts of intimidation, failure to register as a sex offender, trafficking a controlled substance with an inmate, residential entry, dealing marijuana with a prior drug conviction, resisting law enforcement, and battery against a public safety officer,” said the Department of Justice in a Thursday afternoon news release.

On January 23,m 2024, police say Bryant was approached by detectives and he ran away from them and reached for a Glock pistol before being disarmed. He was found in possession of heroin, THC, and digital scales.

In recorded jail calls from the Vanderburgh County Corrections Complex, Braynt admitted to a woman that he fled because he knew he was illegally carrying a firearm. He further stated that he “tried to pull my s**t out and get to dumpin on thy ass on god.” Dumping is a sommon street term meaning to shoot at someone.

“This defendant’s long history of violent crime and his attempt to draw a firearm on officers underscore exactly why federal firearm laws exist. When individuals with violent felony records continue to arm themselves, we will act decisively,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This sentence makes clear that those who threaten our community and the officers who protect it will be held fully accountable.”

This case is 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.