Federal agents raided a Hobart pawn shop Monday where former New Chicago Police Chief Earl Mayo allegedly sold a gun tied to an active police investigation, FBI spokeswoman Chris Bavender confirmed.
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She did not address questions about what evidence they were looking for. It was a joint raid with the ATF and Indiana State Police, Bavender said.
Mayo, 45, faces seven felony charges, including two theft counts, two official misconduct counts, one attempted obstruction of justice count and two counts of possession of anabolic steroids. He is also charged with misdemeanor theft.
After the federal raid, U.S. Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Morgan Swistek said Tuesday she couldn’t confirm or deny “the existence of an investigation.”
In Lake County court, Mayo’s lawyer Jesse Harper filed last week to waive Tuesday’s hearing. Mayo’s next court appearance is July 21 before Judge Samuel Cappas.
Separately, Mayo’s co-defendant Taneka Borders, 47, of Merrillville, pleaded not guilty Tuesday. She is charged with assisting Mayo and possession of anabolic steroids.
The alleged thefts came to light after police tracked a firearms trace from a deputy prosecutor for a handgun. Police said it had been seized as evidence by New Chicago police. The trace led to a Hobart pawn shop – Mega Cash Pawn, 1035 37th Ave.
The pawn shop manager showed police documentation that they paid Mayo $2,610 on April 29 for a dozen guns, including the Taurus G3 handgun tagged in the trace, according to an affidavit.
Days after Mayo and Borders were charged, the pawn shop posted on Facebook that it would be closing in late July.
A man who answered the store’s phone Tuesday referred questions to attorney Shawn Cox.
Cox said the store’s closure was unrelated to the Mayo investigation. He was appointed to help liquidate assets in August or September 2025. Mayo was a “patron,” but otherwise couldn’t comment.
Mayo is the son of Lake County Democratic sheriff nominee Indiana State Police Maj. Jerry Williams.
Carole Carlson contributed; [email protected]