ANDERSON, Ind. -- An Anderson man has been sentenced after he illegally possessed a firearm following a drunk driving crash in October 2023. According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana, 30-year-old Jonathon Jerald Ashley Jr. was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. This comes after Ashley pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. “This defendant has repeatedly demonstrated his utter disregard for the law or the safety of others, including those closest to him,” John E. Childress, the acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, said in the release. “Many illegally armed perpetrators of gun violence in the home and in the community have a prior history of domestic violence. That’s why our office is working together with the FBI, through the LEATH initiative, to protect the public from these offenders and save lives.” Anderson police identify officer involved in January shooting On Oct. 22, 2023, an officer with the Anderson Police Department was called to a crash in the area of 20th and Noble streets. When the officer arrived, they found Ashley, who the release said was "heavily intoxicated" walking away from the accident. When Ashley was searched, officers located a loaded Glock handgun in his pocket. This comes after Ashley had been previously convicted of multiple charges, including: Domestic battery Resisting law enforcement Invasion of privacy Dealing in a narcotic drug Pointing a firearm “This dangerous combination of impaired driving and illegal possession of a firearm had the potential to lead to devastating consequences and this sentence underscores the seriousness of the defendant’s actions,” FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton said in the release. “The FBI remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure those who show such reckless disregard for the law and the safety of others will be held accountable.”