SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A South Bend man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Dedric Strickland, 41, was sentenced to 60 months in prison and 2 years supervised release following his guilty plea.

In January 2019, officers served a search warrant at a home where Strickland and others were located.

During the search officers found cocaine and a loaded handgun in the room where Strickland was staying, according to court records.

They also found an AK47 with the stock sawed off in the home, reports said.

Strickland allegedly admitted to selling cocaine from the residence and used the weapons to protect the drugs and money from drug sales, reports said.