Felon Arrested After Traffic Stop Leads to Discovery of Modified Machine Gun
A Gary man with a prior felony conviction and two pending cases is facing serious new charges after police discovered a modified machine gun and ammunition during a traffic stop on July 5, 2025, according to court records and an affidavit filed by Gary Police.
Around 10:20 a.m., an Officer was patrolling near East Dunes Highway and Utah Street when he observed a green Buick Lucerne make multiple unsafe lane changes. When the vehicle pulled into the parking lot of a Family Dollar at 4733 East Dunes Highway, the Officer initiated a traffic stop. The driver, later identified as 31-year-old Nathan Deshawn Lewis, exited the vehicle and refused multiple commands to return to it, walking into the store instead.
Officers eventually guided Lewis out of the store at taser-point and detained him. During the encounter, officers reported detecting the odor of raw marijuana from the vehicle. Lewis was identified through his Indiana driver’s license, which was found to be suspended, prompting police to initiate a vehicle inventory before towing.
During the search, officers located:
• A loaded Glock handgun equipped with a “Glock switch” – a device that converts the weapon into a fully automatic machine gun
• A drum magazine loaded with 30 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition
• A loaded 5.56mm rifle magazine
• A separate rifle barrel
• A prescription bottle with Lewis’ name
Police say the Glock, modified for automatic fire, was within arm’s reach of Lewis while he had been sitting in the car. Additionally, a live round of .40 caliber ammunition matching the firearm was found in Lewis’ pocket during a jail search.
Lewis, a convicted felon for strangulation in 2021, has two pending felony cases in Lake County for resisting law enforcement with a vehicle. During a post arrest interview, Lewis admitted he had handled the weapon and knew it had a switch capable of converting it into a machine gun. He also acknowledged that, as a convicted felon, he was not legally allowed to possess firearms or ammunition.
He told investigators the gun belonged to a neighbor named “Jerome,” but was unable to confirm whether the neighbor would admit ownership.
Lewis was taken into custody without further incident and faces preliminary charges of:
• Unlawful possession of a machine gun
• Unlawful carrying of a handgun by a felon
• Resisting law enforcement
