Northern District of Indiana
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Week in Review – HammondRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Hammond, Indiana - The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEAS:
Abdkadr Mohammad, 29, of Chicago, Illinois, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to the felony offense of conspiracy to defraud the USDA’s SNAP benefit program.Sentencing has been set for 1/10/14.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the US Department of Agriculture/Office of the Inspector General.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Berkowitz.
Miguel Herrera-Torres, 32, of Chicago, Illinois, pled guilty before Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to the felony offense of re-entry of a deported alien.Sentencing has been set for 12/11/13.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Armando Salinas.
Julius Solis, 24, and Michael Castillo, 22, both of East Chicago, Indiana and defendants in the case US v Briseno et al., pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon this week.Both pled guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity.Additionally, Solis pled guilty to the use of a firearm during a federal crime of violence and drug trafficking crime and Castillo pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the East Chicago Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Gary Police Department, the Hammond Police Department and the Lake County HIDTA.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Nozick
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Amin Velazquez, 33, of Rensselaer, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 30 months imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release if not deported after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Velazquez was responsible for assisting with the transportation of a significant amount of cocaine. This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Illinois State Police.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.
Daniel Roman, 33, of Hammond, Indiana, was sentenced by Chief Judge Philip Simon to 56 months imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to documents filed in this case, Roman has a prior conviction for burglary and was on probation at the time of the instant offense. Roman’s illegally possessed a firearm while possessing with the intent to distribute marijuana.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Padilla.
Terry Carlyle, 56, of Mooresville, Indiana, was sentenced by Chief Judge Philip Simon to 120 months imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute cocaine.Carlyle, a former Marshal with the Brooklyn, Indiana Police Department and police officer with the Indianapolis Police Department, along with John Smith, a former Brooklyn Police Department officer, used their police credentials in their efforts to protect drug shipments. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Indiana State Police and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Nozick.
David Finley, Jr., 32, of Merrillville, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 30 months imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of making false statements in the purchase of a firearm and distribution of marijuana.According to documents filed in this case, Finley, a former Gary Police Officer, committed multiple crimes during a three week period by straw purchasing a handgun for a friend (a convicted felon) and selling marijuana.While awaiting sentencing on these crimes, Finley provided false information to the Court by submitting fake character letters .This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation GRIT Task Force and the Gary Police Department.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gary Bell.
Tamika Gayden, 32, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to 12 months of probation to include 6 months of home detention after pleading guilty to the felony offense of making false statements in connection with the purchase of firearms.According to documents filed in this case, Gayden straw-purchased five firearms for other individuals.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean Lanter.
Week in Review – HammondRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Hammond, Indiana - The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
INDICTMENT:
Michael English, 33, of Gary, Indiana, was charged with 3 counts of distribution of marijuana, 1 count of possession of firearms by a convicted felon and 1 count of possession of an unregistered firearm.These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Gary Police Department.This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Armando Salinas.
The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
PLEAS:
Diamond Toney, 20, of Merrillville, Indiana, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to the felony offense of aiding and abetting the brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence.Sentencing has been set for 11/25/13.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by Federal Bureau of Investigation GRIT Task Force and the Merrillville Police Department.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang-Adiga.
Jose Ortiz, 32, of Chicago, Illinois, a defendant in the case US v Yepez et al., pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to the felony offense of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Chang-Adiga and Thomas McGrath.
Antonio Wilson, 31, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to the felony offense of distribution of cocaine base within 1000 feet of a school.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Gary Police Department.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas McGrath.
Timothy Yatsko, 41, of Lake Station, Indiana, pled guilty before Senior District Judge James Moody to the felony offense of possession of a firearm.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives HIDTA Task Force.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas McGrath.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Steven Biggs, 61, of Gary, Indiana, a defendant in the case US v Crawford et al., was sentenced by Senior District Judge James Moody to 1 year of probation after pleading guilty to the felony offense of use of a communication facility to facilitate a conspiracy to distribute marijuana. According to documents filed in this case, Biggs purchased marijuana in a sufficient quantity to redistribute a portion to his friends for purposes of subsidizing his own use of marijuana. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacqueline Jacobs.
Hector Garcia, 35, of Cicero, Illinois, a defendant in the case US v Vasquez et al., was sentenced by District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 37 months of imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offenses of possession and distribution of cocaine.This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Nozick.
David Hardin, Jr., 25, of Gary, Indiana, a defendant in the case US v Miller et al., was sentenced by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to 365 months of imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release and $79,919.56 in restitution after pleading guilty to the felony offense of the bank robbery of BMO Harris Bank in Hammond, Indiana.According to documents filed in this case, a Hammond police officer was shot three times in his leg during the robbery.This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Nozick.
Jeffrey A. Smith, 33, of Valparaiso, Indiana, was sentenced by Chief Judge Philip Simon to 84 months imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of child pornography.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Smith “friended” the victim on MySpace and asked the victim, who he knew to be 15 years old at the time, to send him sexually explicit photos of herself.Smith also transported the victim in interstate commerce, in this case from Ohio to Indiana, with the intent that she engage in sexual activity. This case resulted from an investigation by members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jill Koster.
Deanbra Martin, 33, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by Chief Judge Philip Simon to 33 months imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. According to documents filed in this case, Martin was on probation at the time of the instant offense.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Michigan City Police Department.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.
South Bend Man Sentenced to Three Years Imprisonment and Ordered to Pay over A Quarter of A Million in Restitution in Tax Evasion CaseRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Robert E. Miller, 60, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to 37 months of imprisonment, 2 years of supervised release and $264,951.70 in restitution after being found guilty of the felony offense of tax evasion.According to documents filed in this case, Miller committed tax fraud, specifically, eight years of tax payment evasion, during the ten-year period from 1999 through 2009.Miller did so despite being employed and having substantial assets and funds, including more than $2.1 million in adjusted gross income and more than $1.1 million in taxable income.Miller tried to hide his assets and income from the IRS by discontinuing his use of bank accounts in May 2007 and conducting all of his transactions in cash and pre-paid debit cards.
Miller attempted to obstruct justice when he made false statements during questioning by IRS agents when they interviewed him and also when he intentionally lied on material points during his testimony at trial.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.
Federal Grand Jury in South Bend Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
South Bend, IN—The United States Attorney's Office announced that a Grand Jury sitting in South Bend, Indiana, returned the following Indictments on September 11, 2013:
Jose Gonzalez, 61, of Milford, Indiana, was charged in a two-count Indictment with one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of distribution of a controlled substance.These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank E. Schaffer.
Antonio King , 33, of Elkhart, Indiana, was charged in a one-count Indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Elkhart Police Department, Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald J. Schmid.
Vernado Ruben Malone, 41, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was charged in a three-count Indictment with one-count of mail fraud, one-count of wire fraud, and one-count aggravated identity theft.Charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, St. Joseph County Police, and Niles Police. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald J. Schmid.
Ryan Dean Smith , 27, of Peru, Indiana, was charged in a one-count Indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Wabash City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald J. Schmid.
Quintien Walker, 22, of South Bend, Indiana, was charged in a one-count Indictment with providing false statements during the acquisition of a firearm. Charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald J. Schmid.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Fifth Defendant Sentenced in Unemployment Insurance Fraud CasesRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
South Bend, Indiana — United States Attorney David Capp announced today that since May 2013, as a result of an investigation conducted by the United States Department of Labor-Office of the Inspector General and the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana has prosecuted and convicted five (5) individuals who fraudulently collected government funds in the form of unemployment insurance benefit payments from the State of Indiana.Assistant United States Attorney Barbara Brook handled these prosecutions for the United States Attorney’s Office.
Christina Glen, 43, of LaPorte, Indiana, was sentenced today by District Judge Robert Miller, Jr. to two years of probation and $15,210.00 in restitution after pleading guilty to the felony offense of theft of government funds.
According to documents filed in this case, Glen and four (4) other individuals fraudulently collected government funds in the form of unemployment insurance benefit payments from the State of Indiana.These individuals worked for the same company in Michigan City, Indiana and, while they received wages, fraudulently applied for and received these benefit payments to which they were not entitled. The total amount of restitution to be paid to the State of Indiana by each defendant ranged from $15,000 - $25,000, but collectively amounted to $97,523.
Previously convicted in this investigation were:
Keith Galassi, 33, of Michigan City, Indiana was sentenced May 28, 2013 to 2 years of probation and restitution of $15,210 after pleading guilty to theft of government funds.
Deandre Grant, 36, of Michigan City, Indiana was sentenced June 17, 2013 to 3 years of probation with 6 months of home detention and restitution of $19,657 after pleading guilty to theft of government funds.
Terry Smith, 33, of Michigan City, Indiana was sentenced June 21, 2013 to 3 years of probation and restitution of $18,330 after pleading guilty to theft of government funds.
Leon Thomas, 38, of Lynwood, Illinois was sentenced April 4, 2013 to 2 years of imprisonment after pleading guilty to aggravated identity theft.Thomas worked and collected unemployment insurance benefit payments at the same company in Michigan City under a stolen identity.
Federal Grand Jury in Fort Wayne Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
FortWayne,Indiana - TheUnited States Attorney's Office announced that a Grand Jury sitting in Fort Wayne, Indiana, returned the following Indictments on September 11, 2013:
Jovon C. Harvey, 44, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was charged with two counts of attempted tax evasion for tax years 2007 and 2008, three counts of failure to file a tax return for tax years 2007 through 2009 and one count of wire fraud.These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service.This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Geller.
TheUnitedStatesAttorney'sOfficeemphasizedthatanIndictmentismerelyanallegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed willbedetermined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Week in Review – South BendRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
South Bend, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEA:
Scott Weaver, 29, of South Bend, Indiana pled guilty before District Judge Christopher A. Nuechterlein to the felony offense of knowingly distributing a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. Magistrate Nuechterlein is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. Sentencing has been set for 12/5/2013.This case resulted from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Juan Gallardo, 30, of LaPorte, Indiana was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to 37 months imprisonment with 4 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of knowingly and intentionally conspiring to deliver a mixture or substance that contained cocaine.According to documents filed in this case, between February 2012 and December 2012, Gallardo and several others were involved in distributing cocaine in LaPorte County. This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
Week in Review – HammondRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Hammond, Indiana - The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
DISPOSITIONS:
Allen Ray Evens, 25, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by Chief Judge Philip Simon to 27 months imprisonment and 1 year of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.According to documents filed in this case, Evens had a previous conviction for robbery and wason probation at the time of his arrest. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives HIDTA Task Force and the Gary Police Department.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Padilla.
Michael Weatherford, 70, of Attica, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior District Judge James Moody to 108 months imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of a stolen firearm. According to documents filed by the government in this case, Weatherford has six prior felony convictions including burglary, breaking and entering, distribution of a controlled substance and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.Weatherford was arrested and charged after a confrontation with a conservation officer in a wooded area near Attica, Indiana. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives HIDTA Task Force.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Padilla.
Brandon Earl, 31, of Demotte, Indiana, a defendant in the case US v Humphrey et al., was sentenced by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to 41 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin.According to documents filed in this case, Earl was charged along with eight others with participation in a heroin ring operating in the Newton County area. This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jacqueline Jacobs and Jennifer Chang-Adiga.
Imperial Gangster Gang Member Charged with MurderRead the Press Release
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Hammond, Indiana - United States Attorney David Capp announced that Raymond Campos, a member of the Imperial Gangster street gang, pled guilty today in US District Court to racketeering conspiracy.Campos admitted to being a member of the Imperial Gangsters and participating in the operation of that criminal enterprise through shootings and homicides.Campos also agreed to cooperate with the government in its ongoing investigation into criminal gangs.
In addition to his plea of guilty to the RICO conspiracy, Campos also pled guilty to murder in aid of racketeering activity that was charged in a separate Information.Campos admitted to the murder of Steven Rodriguez in East Chicago on February 9, 2002.Rodriguez was 14 years of age at the time of his death.
The Rodriguez homicide is the 20th previously uncharged homicide that the United States Attorney’s Office has charged in its ongoing efforts against organized street gangs, particularly the Imperial Gangsters and Latin Kings.
United States Attorney David Capp stated, “It does not matter how long ago some of these homicides may have occurred.We are actively investigating any number of cold homicides.When the evidence warrants, we will seek indictments.It is our intention to keep the pressure on these organized street gangs and hold them accountable for their criminal acts, regardless of when they occurred.”
There are 20 previously uncharged homicides being dealt with in federal court.Those attributed to members of the Imperial Gangster street gang are:
1. Steven Rodriguez, February 9, 2002 in East Chicago
2. Anuar Paez, July 24, 2004 in East Chicago
3. Guadalupe Trevino, July 24, 2005 in Gary
4. Juan Murillo, Sr., March 22, 2007 in East Chicago
5. Rene Alonzo, September 16, 2007 in East Chicago
6. Luis Ortiz, September 26, 2007 in Hammond
7. Mario Soriano, March 25, 2008 in East Chicago
8. Michael Sessum, June 3, 2008 in East Chicago
9. Miguel Meijias, June 3, 2008 in East Chicago
10. Harris Brown, October 9, 2008 in East Chicago
11. Miguel Colon, February 10, 2010 in East Chicago
12. Jesus Alvarez, March 26, 2010 in East Chicago
13. Latroy Howard, June 10, 2010 in East Chicago
Previously uncharged homicides attributed to members of the Latin Kings street gang are:
14. Jonathan Zimmerman, December 26, 2003 in Hammond
15. Edward Delatorre, November 26, 2006 in Chicago
16. James Walsh, February 25, 2007 in Griffith
17. Gonzalo Diaz, February 25, 2007 in Griffith
18. Jose Cortez, May 25, 2008 in East Chicago
19. Christina Campos, April 22, 2009 in Chicago
Last week, Oscar Cosme and Kiontay Pennington were charged with the previously uncharged murder of Julio Cartenaga on May 16, 2003 in East Chicago.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the East Chicago Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Gary Police Department, the Hammond Police Department and the Lake County HIDTA.This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Nozick and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Bruce Hegyi of the Capital Case Unit.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Week in Review – South BendRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
South Bend, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEA:
Frank Piatek, 72, of Elkhart, Indiana pled guilty before District Judge Robert L. Miller Jr. to the felony offense of failure to register as a sex offender.Sentencing has been set for 12/4/2013.This case resulted from an investigation by the US Marshals Service .This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Maciejczyk.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Kelly Ann Norris, 49, of LaPorte, Indiana was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to 6 months imprisonment, 6 months location monitoring on home detention, 2 years supervised release and $697,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to the felony offense of health care billing fraud.According to documents filed in this case, from 2009 through early 2013, Norris defrauded Indiana Medicaid through fraudulent billing claims.Norris was the owner of Norris Medical Transportation and made claims for reimbursement for transportation services that were never provided.This case was the result of an investigation by the Indiana Attorney General’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.
Brian Edwards, 50, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to 21 months imprisonment, 2 years supervised release and of $400,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to the felony offense of making false statement in connection with a mortgage loan and mortgage insurance.According to documents filed in this case, during 2008 through 2010, Edwards was a licensed loan originator in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Edwards and others involved would sell low-end houses to purchasers unable to qualify for mortgage loans. Thru use of falsified gift letters, Edwards was able to falsely represent borrower assets to qualify individuals for mortgage loans they could not pay.Buyers soon after obtaining the homes could not maintain the locations and the homes went into foreclosure.Edwards knowingly submitted to lenders loan applications containing false representation of borrower assets and phony bank account documentation. The defendant received thousands of dollars from his part of the fraudulent business.This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.
Week in Review – HammondRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Hammond, Indiana - The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEAS:
Eugene Jackson, Jr., 33, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to the felony offense of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the ATF HIDTA Task Force and the Hobart Police Department.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean Lanter.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Rick Weatherford, 48, of Ladoga, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 151 months imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana.The 151 month sentence is to run consecutively with Weatherford’s current sentence.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Weatherford has prior convictions for theft/habitual offender in 1993, murder in 1994 and trafficking with an inmate in 2002. Weatherford orchestrated a large semi-truck load shipment of marijuana that was driven from Texas to Indiana for further distribution.Weatherford took part in this conspiracy while he was incarcerated in the Indiana Department of Corrections with the use of an illegal cellular phone in prison. This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang-Adiga.
Krystal Puntillo-Raggs, 22, of Hammond, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to 12 months of probation after pleading guilty to the felony offense of passing counterfeit obligations.According to documents filed in this case, Puntillo-Raggs assisted in the illegal passing of counterfeit obligations at her place of employment in her capacity as a cashier.Her co-defendants would purchase items at her register and give her what she knew to be counterfeit bills as payment.They would later return many of the purchased items in exchange for genuine cash and things of value.This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Randall Stewart.
Daniel Loy, 32, of South Haven, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to the custody of the Bureau of Prisons for a term of 30 months with 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of distribution of cocaine.According to documents filed in this case, Loy, in distributing cocaine on 2 occasions, sold approximately 115 grams.Loy has an extensive criminal history that includes a felony conviction and 5 misdemeanor convictions. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation GRIT Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang-Adiga.
Jason Rossiter, 30, of Lake Village, Indiana, a defendant in the case US v Humphrey et al., was sentenced by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to the custody of the Bureau Of Prisons for a term of 60 months with 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin.According to documents filed in this case, Rossiter was charged along with eight others with participation in a heroin ring operating in the Newton County area. This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jacqueline Jacobs and Jennifer Chang-Adiga.
Week in Review – Fort WayneRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Fort Wayne, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEA:
Gelacio Martinez, 36, of Sturgis,Michigan, pled guilty before District Judge Roger B. Cosbey to the felony offense of using a communication facility to facilitate a conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance.Sentencing has not been set.This case resulted from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller Lowery.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Week in Review – Fort WayneRead the Press Release
Fort Wayne, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEA:
Shawn Hagler, 35, of Fort Wayne, Indiana pled guilty before District Judge Roger B. Cosbey to the felony offense of armed bank robbery.This case resulted from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.Sentencing has not been set.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller-Lowery.
Trey Jackson, 35, of Fort Wayne, Indiana pled guilty before District Judge Roger B. Cosbey to the felony offenses of armed bank robbery and with brandishing and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.Sentencing has not been set.This case resulted from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Geller.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Nicole Sprankles, 40, of Bluffton, Indiana was sentenced by District Judge Theresa L. Springmann to serve 5 months imprisonment and 1 year supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of making a false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm.According to documents filed in this case, Sprankles purchased a .40 caliber Glock pistol, model 22 from Parlor City Pawn in Bluffton and lied regarding the true identity of a firearm purchaser. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller-Lowery.
Harry Esterline, 75, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was sentenced by District Judge Theresa L. Springmann to serve 2 days imprisonment (with credit for time served) and 5 years supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of materials depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.According to documents filed in this case, Esterline utilized the file sharing software “Limewire” to download video files from the Internet.The files depicted scenes of prepubescent females engaged in sexual activity with adult males.Esterline’s computer was seized and child pornography video files were found on the hard drive. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller-Lowery.
Alex White, 48, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was sentenced by District Judge Theresa L. Springmann to serve 188 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release and $877 in restitution after pleading guilty to the felony offense of robbery with a dangerous weapon.According to documents filed in this case, in October 2012, White entered a Wells Fargo bank, threatened a bank teller and demanded money. White fled the scene with the stolen money.He was arrested several days later due to video footage from the robbery.This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lovita Morris-King.
Federal Grand Jury in Fort Wayne Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
Hammond South Bend Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, Indiana - The United States Attorney's Office announced that a Grand Jury sitting in Fort Wayne, Indiana, returned the following Indictments on August 28, 2013:
Damion Alexander, 19, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is charged in a single count Indictment with possession of a firearm by a domestic batterer on or about July 23, 2013. The Indictment also seeks the forfeiture of firearms and ammunition. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Wayne Police Department. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lovita Morris King.
Raul Resendiz, 34, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is charged in a single count Indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about July 21, 2013. The Indictment also seeks the forfeiture of firearms. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Wayne Police Department. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Trevor Rodriguez, 22, and Hayley VanDurmen, 20, both of Fort Wayne, Indiana, are charged in an eight count Indictment respectively. Both defendants are charged with knowingly selling a firearm to a convicted felon and aiding and abetting on or about April 26, 2013. In addition, Rodriguez is also charged with distribution of marijuana on or about May 24, 2013, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about May 24, 2013,
knowingly selling a firearm to a convicted felon on or about June 25, 2013, July 1, 2013, July
15, 2013 and July 30, 2013, and maintaining a drug involved premise. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lovita Morris King.
Dontae Travier, 29, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Cameron Patterson, 28 of Fort Wayne, Indiana, are charged in a single count Indictment with armed bank robbery and aiding abetting on or about May 29, 2013. The investigation of this bank robbery is being conducted by the Ossian Police Department, the FBI Fort Wayne Safe Streets Task Force, and the FBI Northeast Indiana Federal Bank Robbery Task Force. Both task forces are comprised of FBI agents and officers from the Indiana State Police, Allen County Police Department, and Fort Wayne Police Department. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is also part of the Northeast Indiana Federal Bank Robbery Task Force. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller Lowery.
The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.Two Area Men Charged with MurderRead the Press Release
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Hammond, Indiana-United States Attorney David Capp announced that Oscar Cosme, 40, of East Chicago, Indiana, and Kiontay Pennington, 34, of Gary, Indiana, were charged by Complaint with allegedly committing murder resulting from the use and carrying of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and aiding and abetting the same.
According to the Complaint, on May 16, 2003, Pennington, Cosme and others shot to death Julio Cartagena in front of an apartment complex in East Chicago in retaliation for the theft of narcotics.East Chicago police were nearby and began a chase of the vehicle fleeing from the scene that ended in a high impact crash.Pennington and Cosme were identified as two of the four occupants of the vehicle.A subsequent investigation revealed that the underlying narcotics theft involved a street gang, the “Two Six”, which was active in East Chicago at that time.
Cosme was arrested on August 23, 2013.Pennington was arrested this morning at his residence.Both had their initial appearance today before United States Magistrate Judge John Martin in Hammond and are scheduled for probable cause/detention hearings on August 29, 2013 at 9:00 and 9:30 AM.
United States Attorney Capp stated, “These arrests are part of our ongoing effort to remove violent offenders from the streets, particularly those allegedly associated with criminal street gangs.We will continue to investigate violent acts, even those, like here, that are more than ten years old.As I have stated publicly in the past, we are coming after those who are or were members of, or affiliated with, criminal organizations, regardless of when their criminal conduct may have occurred.”
These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Merrillville Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives HIDTA Taskforce, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the East Chicago Police Department.This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Nozick.
The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that a Complaint is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Week in Review – South BendRead the Press Release
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South Bend, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEA:
Shawn Fox, 28, of South Bend, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher A. Nuechterlein to the felony offense of bank robbery with the use of a firearm. Magistrate Nuechterlein is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. Sentencing has been set for 11/25/2013.This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of InvestigationThis case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Rickey Hemphill, 20, of Riverdale, Illinois, and Timothy Whitfield, 21, of South Bend, Indiana, members of the criminal enterprise Cash Out Boyz, a violent and dangerous gang operating in South Bend during 2010 through 2012, were sentenced by District Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. this week.Hemphill was sentenced to 174 months of imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of racketeering.Whitfield was sentenced to 320 months of imprisonment and 10 years of supervised released after pleading guilty to the felony offense of racketeering and carrying and using a firearm during drug trafficking and a crime of violence.
According to documents filed in this case, members of the COB, including Hemphill and Whitfield, attempted to commit and threatened to commit acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, robbery and assault in order to protect and expand the enterprise’s criminal operations. Those criminal operations included robbery and illegal trafficking in Ecstasy and marijuana.During his time with the organization, Hemphill was involved in numerous violent altercations with rival gang members which included aggravated assault, exchanging gunfire, public retaliation and distribution of marijuana. Whitfield also had numerous violent altercations with rival gang members which led to shootings.Whitfield has prior convictions for hit and run – leaving the scene (2010), false informing and resisting arrest (2010), theft (2010), and aggravated battery (2011). This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the South Bend Police Department.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.
Deneen Lewis, 42, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to serve 24 months of imprisonment, 2 years of supervised release and $16,603 in restitution after pleading guilty to the felony offense of theft of government property.According to documents filed in this case, from 2010 to 2012, Lewis was receiving the Supplemental Social Security Income payment for her child.At the time that Lewis established herself as the payee, her child did not live with her.Lewis used the payments for personal purchases not intended for the recipient. This case was the result of an investigation by the Social Security Administration.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Barbara Brook.
Gabriel Franco, 31, of Mishawaka, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to serve 6 months of imprisonment, 6 months location monitoring on home detention and 3 years supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of manufacturing marijuana.According to documents filed in this case, in 2012, Franco was running a marijuana grow operation out of his home. This case was the result of an investigation by Drug Enforcement Administration.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
Week in Review – HammondRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Hammond, Indiana - The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
The following Indictments were returned on August 22, 2013:
Antoine McClain, 31, of East Chicago, Indiana, was charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.This charge was filed as the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives HIDTA Task Force and the East Chicago Police Department.This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Padilla.
Turrell Anderson, 41, of East Chicago, Indiana, was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.This charge was filed as the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the East Chicago Police Department.This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas McGrath.
Javante Toran, 21, of Hammond, Indiana, was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.This charge was filed as the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Nozick.
The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
PLEAS:
Lamar Johnson, 26, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to the felony offense of transportation of a minor with the intent that she engage in prostitution.This case resulted from an investigation by members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Indiana State Police.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jill Koster.
Tajuan Allen, 37, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to the felony offense of selling loaded firearms to a felon.Sentencing has been set for 11/19/13.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives HIDTA Task Force.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Nozick.
Tyrone Benson, 38, of Hammond, Indiana, pled guilty before Senior District Judge James Moody to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration HIDTA Task Force.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Nozick.
Manuel Montalvo, 39, of East Chicago, Indiana, pled guilty before District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to the felony offense of filing a false tax return.Sentencing has been set for 11/5/13.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gary Bell.
Tiana Williams, 19, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Senior District Judge James Moody to the felony offense of making false statements in the acquisition of a firearm.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives HIDTA Task Force and the Lake County Police Department.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Padilla.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Eugene Baber, Jr., 29, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by Chief Judge Philip Simon to 42 months imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives HIDTA Task Force and the Gary Police Department.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacqueline Jacobs.
Chanel Bandy, 35, of Merrillville, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior District Judge James Moody to 2 years of probation after pleading guilty to the felony offense of assisting in the preparation of false/fraudulent tax returns.According to documents filed by the government, Bandy worked for Quick Sam Tax Refund and was encouraged to and did prepare and file fraudulent tax returns to obtain grossly inflated refunds for her clients, to bring in business and fees for her employer, and to obtain cash tips for her own financial gain.Losses directly tied to Bandy’s preparation of fraudulent tax returns as of the date of her guilty plea was $87,784. This case was the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jill Koster.
Joseph Jamal Smith, 20, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by Senior District Judge James Moody to 24 months imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.According to documents filed by the government, Smith has a prior conviction for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas McGrath.
Luis Yanez, 41, of Lorain, Ohio, was sentenced by Senior District Judge James Moody to 46 months imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine.This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.
Woman Sentenced in Scheme to Harbor Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
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South Bend, Indiana —United States Attorney David Capp announced that Sandra Alfaro, 36, Indianapolis, Indiana, the owner of Servicios Mi Tierra, was sentenced by District Judge Robert Miller, Jr. to 39 months imprisonment on August 19, 2013 following her guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens and to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
Ms. Alfaro engaged in identity fraud by creating dummy corporations for illegal aliens so that they could register and title their motor vehicles in order to harbor, conceal and shield them from detection by law enforcement officials.Her scheme helped people who were in the United States illegally by sidestepping BMV’s requirement that the owner of a vehicle have a social security number before they would register cars and issue titles, and also sidestepped the BMV’s requirement that drivers have insurance.In order to execute the scheme, Alfaro created corporations by falsely representing to the Indiana Secretary of State that the aliens owned businesses and the purpose of the corporations.Between 2009 and the middle of 2011, she helped at least 300 aliens remain in the United States by helping them secure plates, titles and registration documents from the BMV.
In addition to creating fictitious corporations, Alfaro worked with Mr. Paulino Ascencion-Apolino, 23 of Elkhart, Indiana, in the South Bend and Goshen area by completing BMV paperwork for him and then processing that paperwork at BMV branches in Indianapolis.She notarized signatures that she did not witness and submitted forged documents to the BMV to falsify residency and insurance coverage.Ascencion-Apolino, also using the name Servicos Mi Tierra, had offices in South Bend, Elkhart, and Highland, Indiana from the Fall of 2010 to May of 2011. Ascencion-Apolino, who helped harbor over 100 aliens, was sentenced February, 2012 to 33 months of imprisonment and forfeiture of over $60,000 seized from several bank accounts for his role in the conspiracy.On March 16, 2012, Ramon Garcia, 39, of Berrien Springs, Michigan, who had been working for Ascencion-Apolino, was sentenced to 27 months.
“Sandra Alfaro blatantly abused legitimate government services to unlawfully obtain vehicle registrations for hundreds of illegal aliens,” said HSI Chicago Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Hartwig. “Identity fraud erodes the integrity of our nation’s immigration system and has far-reaching implications. This lengthy prison sentence demonstrates HSI’s resolve to work with our law enforcement partners to stop this type of criminal activity.”
United States Attorney David Capp stated, “The validity of identification and licensing documents is a critical law enforcement and public safety issue. We have an excellent working relationship with our federal law enforcement agencies and with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles.Their thorough and professional work here led to this result in federal court.This working relationship is ongoing and the United States Attorney’s Office will continue to prioritize these types of investigations.”
This case was the result of an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and investigators with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles and the Indiana Secretary of State.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kenneth Hays.
Week in Review – South BendRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
South Bend, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEA:
Tyran Lenard, 23, of South Bend, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher A. Nuechterlein to the felony offense of unlawful transport of firearms. Magistrate Nuechterlein is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. Sentencing has been set for 11/21/2013. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives .This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William Grimmer.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Marcus Henderson, 42, of South Bend, Indiana was sentenced by District Judge Robert L. Miller Jr to 39 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release after being found guilty of the felony offense of possession of firearm by an unlawful user of controlled substances.According to documents filed in this case, Henderson held a woman hostage until law enforcement arrived and intervened.Upon further investigation, five firearms were located in Henderson’s property, including a stolen handgun. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
Demerius Shaw, 20, of Indianapolis, Indiana was sentenced by District Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr., to 600 months imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offenses of racketeering and carrying and using a firearm during a drug trafficking crime/crime of violence .Forty of the sentenced years are on Count 1 RICO which include a murder, two additional shootings and armed drug trafficking.According to documents filed in this case, in 2010 and 2011, Shaw was a member of the criminal enterprise Cash Out Boyz.During his time with the organization, Shaw was involved in the home invasion of a suspected drug dealer.During the invasion, an occupant of the home was shot and robbed of money and drugs. Shaw was also involved in additional numerous violent criminal activities including the murder of a rival gang member. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the South Bend Police Department.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.
Tisha Martin, 44, of South Bend, Indiana was sentenced by Magistrate Judge Christopher A Nuechterlein to serve 6 months of probation and $350 in restitution after pleading guilty to the felony offense of obstructing the mail.According to documents filed in this case, Martin stole numerous first class greeting cards while working as a mail carrier.At least two items of stolen mail contained cash.The theft amount is estimated from $250 to $500. This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jesse Barrett.
Francisco Perez, 33, of Gary, Indiana was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to serve 46 month imprisonment and 4 years supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of knowingly and intentionally possessing with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine.According to documents filed in this case, in February 2013, Perez was arrested in the Lighthouse Mall parking lot in Michigan City with over 500 grams of cocaine. Perez had received the narcotic delivery from Gilberto Galindo-Lopez.This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
Gilberto Galindo-Lopez, a/k/a Gabriel Ramirez, 33, of Los Angeles, California was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to serve 65 months imprisonment (to run consecutive to the anticipated sentence in a state court case) and 4 years supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possessing with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine.According to documents filed in this case, in February 2013, Galindo-Lopez was arrested in the Lighthouse Mall parking lot in Michigan City with over 500 grams of cocaine. He had delivered the narcotic to Francisco Perez. This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
Oscar Arzate, 26, of LaPorte, Indiana, a defendant in the case US v Campos et al., was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to serve 46 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of distributing a mixture or substance containing cocaine.According to documents filed in this case, Arzate sold cocaine while working with the Campos family, a local established crime enterprise. This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
Willis Fields, 47, of Elkhart, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Jon DeGuilio to serve 3 years supervised probation, 6 months location monitoring on home detention and $27,610.00 in restitution after pleading guilty to the felony offense of theft of government property.According to documents filed in this case, Fields applied for federal extended unemployment insurance benefits claiming that he was not working when in truth he was working at a company in Elkhart, Indiana.The total money defrauded was assessed at approximately $15,551.This case was the result of an investigation by the Department of Labor.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Barbara Brook.
Week in Review – HammondRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Hammond, Indiana - The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEAS:
Brittini Anderson, 27, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to the felony offense of making false statements in the acquisition of a firearm.Sentencing has been set for 11/15/13.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Padilla.
Danilo Danti, 60, of Highland Park, Illinois, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to the felony offense of transportation of stolen goods.Sentencing has been set for 11/15/13.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Randall Stewart.
Kevin Paul Brewster, 41, of Portage, Indiana, pled guilty before District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to the felony offenses of production of child pornography, receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography.Sentencing has been set for 10/31/13.This case resulted from an investigation by members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Portage Police Department.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jill Koster.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Alfonso Salinas, 53, of Hammond, Indiana, was sentenced by Chief Judge Philip Simon to 42 months imprisonment and 1 year of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offenses of receipt of a bribe by an agent of a local government receiving federal funds and failure to file a federal tax return.According to documents filed in this case, Salinas, an elected Hammond City Councilman at the time, readily accepted $10,500.00 from co-defendant David Johnson, to be influenced. Salinas corruptly accepted 10 checks during a 21 month period. During a 10 year time period (and overlapping the bribe payments), Salinas failed to file nine federal tax returns or pay any of the over $45,000.00 in taxes owed. Salinas also took in campaign contributions and deposited the money in his personal account.These contributions never appeared on campaign contribution account reports filed with the Board of Elections. This case was the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gary Bell.
Shana King, 23, of Gary, Indiana, and Alnese Frazier, 27, of Indianapolis, Indiana, defendants in the case US v Harris et al., were sentenced by Chief Judge Philip Simon to 1 day, time served, after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy and attempt to commit fraud with identification documents.King was ordered to pay $27,061.59 in restitution and 2 years of supervised release.Frazier was ordered to pay $38,500.00 in restitution and 4 years of supervised release.The restitution amounts are to be paid jointly with all co-defendants in this case.According to documents filed in this case, the defendants obtained the account and personal information of individuals in over 21 states and fraudulently added their names to the victims’ accounts in an account takeover scheme. The defendants either utilized their own names or utilized aliases with the accounts which had been taken over. They purchased gift cards, Postal money orders, and made numerous retail purchases with the fraudulently obtained credit cards throughout Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Georgia. They also made cash withdrawals on the accounts and utilized the convenience checks associated with the accounts at various financial institutions located in Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Georgia. Throughout the criminal conduct, the defendants would also mail gift cards, Postal money orders, and U.S. currency from Indiana and Wisconsin to Georgia.This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Toi Houston.
Justin Tiggs, 29, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 77 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.Tiggs has prior felony convictions for aggravated use of a weapon by a felon, possession of a controlled substance and escape.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas McGrath.
Federal Grand Jury in South Bend Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
South Bend, IN—The United States Attorney's Office announced that a Grand Jury sitting in South Bend, Indiana, returned the following Indictments on August 14, 2013:
Eric Gainer , 44, of Kewanna, Indiana, was charged in a one-count Indictment with providing false statements during the acquisition of a firearm. Charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald J. Schmid.
Dontrell Smith, 24, of South Bend, Indiana, was charged in a three-count Indictment with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of heroin distribution, and one count of assaulting a federal officer. Charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the South Bend Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald J. Schmid.
Michael Wilkman, 28, of Nappanee, Indiana, was charged in a one-count Indictment with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald J. Schmid.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. .
The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court
Federal Grand Jury in Fort Wayne Returns IndictmentRead the Press Release
Hammond South Bend Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, Indiana - The United States Attorney's Office announced that a Grand Jury sitting in Fort Wayne, Indiana, returned the following Indictment on July 30, 2013:
Jimmie J. Burnette, Jr., 33, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is charged in a single count Indictment with passing, presenting and uttering, a false and fictitious security on or about March 15, 2011. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.Federal Grand Jury in Fort Wayne Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
FortWayne,Indiana - TheUnited States Attorney's Office announced that a Grand Jury sitting in Fort Wayne, Indiana, returned the following Indictments on June 26, 2013:
Phillip Biddle, 36, of Kendallville, Indiana, is charged in a single count Indictment with knowingly possessing visual depictions of minor(s) engaged in sexually explicit conduct on or aboutJune15,2012.TheIndictmentalsoseekstheforfeitureofacomputerandaharddrive. Thischargewasfiledasaresultof aninvestigationbytheInternetCrimesAgainstChildren (ICAC)TaskForce.Thiscasehasbeenassigned toandwillbeprosecutedbyAssistantUnited States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
Keith Kinney, 51, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is charged in a single countIndictmentwith knowingly possessing visual depictions of minor(s) engaged in sexually explicit conduct on or aboutJuly11,2012.TheIndictmentalsoseekstheforfeitureofacomputerandaharddrive. Thischargewasfiledasaresultof aninvestigationbytheInternetCrimesAgainstChildren (ICAC)TaskForce.Thiscasehasbeenassigned toandwillbeprosecutedbyAssistantUnited States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
TheUnitedStatesAttorney'sOfficeemphasizedthatanIndictmentismerelyanallegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed willbedetermined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Week in Review – South BendRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
South Bend, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEA:
Bryant Rios, 25, of South Bend, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher A. Nuechterlein to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Magistrate Nuechterlein is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. Sentencing set for 11/13/2013. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives .This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.
Abdul Shabazz, 37, of South Bend, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher A. Nuechterlein to the felony offense of unlawful transport of firearms. Magistrate Nuechterlein is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. Sentencing set for 11/13/2013. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives .This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.
Ruben Fernandez, 31, of Cassopolis, Michigan, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher A. Nuechterlein to the felony offense of participating in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine.Magistrate Nuechterlein is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency .Sentencing set for 10/31/2013. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William Grimmer.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Kristopher Brooks, 40, of Elkhart, Indiana was sentenced by District Judge Robert L. Miller Jr to 46 months imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of failing to register as a sex offender.According to documents filed in this case, in 1993, Brooks was convicted of assault with intent towards sexual penetration.As a convicted sex offender, Brooks is required to register with local law enforcement when he relocates.After moving to Indiana, Brooks failed to register. This case was the result of an investigation by the US Marshals Service. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Maciejczyk.
James Braun, 68, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Jon DeGuilio to 63 months imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of child pornography. According to documents filed by the government in this case, Braun admitted that he possessed a computer which contained approximately 81 digital images and 8 videos that depicted minors that had not yet reached 12 years of age engaged in sexually explicit conduct.This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Indiana State Police.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Maciejczyk.
Dale Hite, 27, of Plymouth, Indiana was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to 292 months imprisonment (to run concurrently with the defendant’s state sentence) and 4 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiring to manufacture over 50 grams of a mixture or substance that contained methamphetamine.According to documents filed in this case, during the course of ten months in 2010, Hite manufactured methamphetamine for sale. This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
Jacqueline Rodriguez, 48, of Rochester, Indiana was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to 2 years supervised probation and 4 months of home detention (location monitoring) and $13,490 restitution after pleading guilty to the felony offense of wire fraud.According to documents filed in this case, the defendant’s husband was previously unemployed and receiving assistance. After her husband found employment, Rodriguez continued to file vouchers for unemployment benefits.The defendant claimed that she committed this offense without her husband’s knowledge.This case was the result of an investigation by the Department of Labor.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Barbara Brook.
Week in Review – HammondRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
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Hammond, Indiana - The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEAS:
Anthony Cerrillos, 45, and Brian Cerrillos, 50, of Chicago, Illinois, pled guilty before Senior District Judge James Moody to the felony offense of conspiracy to transport in interstate commerce stolen goods that had a value in excess of $5,000.00.These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hammond Police Department.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Berkowitz.
Jeffery Williams, 30, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to the felony offense of distribution of heroin.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Lake Station Police Department.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas McGrath.
Yohinnest Herrod, 23, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to the felony offense of making false statements in the acquisition of a firearm.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives HIDTA Task Force.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Padilla.
George James Black, 53, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to the felony offense of possession of a stolen firearm.Sentencing has been set for 11/14/13.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives HIDTA Task Force and the Indiana State Police.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Padilla.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Keon Thomas, 38, of Hammond, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior District Judge James Moody to life imprisonment and $11,275.97 in restitution after being found guilty at trial of the felony offenses of conspiracy to commit robbery and murder, robbery, murder by means of a firearm during a robbery and 2 counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (robbery).Thomas, along with defendant Styles Taylor and two others, was charged with the robbery and murder of Hammond businessman Frank Freund in April of 2000.Freund had owned and operated the Firearms Unlimited Gun Shop in Hammond for several years.Freund, who was 73 years old at the time, was shot twice at close range with a pistol while alone in his shop.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hammond Police Department.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Philip Benson and David Nozick.
Sisto Bernal, 47, of Chicago, Illinois, and Santiago Gudino, 29, of Hammond, Indiana, defendants in the case US v Vargas et al., were sentenced Thursday by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano after both pled guilty to conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 1000 kilograms or more of marijuana.Bernal was sentenced to 288 months imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release. Gudino was sentenced to 262 months imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release. According to the indictment, Bernal and Gudino are members of the Latin Kings, which is a nationwide gang that originated in Chicago and has branched out throughout the United States, including to Texas. The indictments also alleged that the Latin Kings gang was responsible for at least 20 murders in the Chicago/Northwest Indiana area and Big Spring, Texas. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Immigration and Custom Office of Homeland Security Investigations; the National Gang Targeting, Enforcement & Coordination Center; the National Gang Intelligence Center; the Chicago Police Department; the East Chicago Police Department; the Griffith Police Department; the Hammond Police Department; the Highland Police Department; and the Houston Police Department.The investigation of the Chicago Police Department officers was conducted by Chicago City Public Corruption Task Force, a Chicago Police Department- Internal Affairs and FBI - Chicago law enforcement initiative.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Nozick, and Joseph A. Cooley, Trial Attorney, United States Department of Justice - Organized Crime and Gang Section.
Jose Gonzalez, 31, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 18 months imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.According to documents filed in this case, law enforcement was conducting surveillance in Merrillville, Indiana on a subject connected to a drug trafficking operation when they observed him meet with Gonzalez.The subject handed a white bag to Gonzalez, who then drove away.Officers followed Gonzalez until they could conduct a traffic stop.Officers found the bag which contained approximately 2.3 kilograms of cocaine.This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.
Phyllis Lark, 46, of Hammond, Indiana, doing business as Absolute Care, was sentenced by District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 37 months imprisonment, $1,863,585.92 in restitution to the Indiana Medicaid program and 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of submitting fraudulent claims to Indiana Medicaid.According to documents filed in this case, Absolute Care was a targeted case management service dedicated to severely disabled Medicaid recipients.An investigation revealed that Lark and others billed Medicaid for services to over 60 of its recipients when in fact the recipients had never heard of Lark or her company and had not received any of the billed services. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Indiana Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Berkowitz.
Joniette Davis, 29, of Indianapolis, Indiana, Amber Fields, 24, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Lauren Price, 23, of Chesterton, Indiana, defendants in the case US v Harris et al., were sentenced by Chief Judge Philip Simon.Davis was sentenced to 1 day imprisonment (time served) and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy and attempt to commit fraud with identification documents.Fields and Price were sentenced to 1 day imprisonment (time served) and 3 years of supervised release after both pled guilty to conspiracy and attempt to commit fraud with identification documents and fraud with identification documents.According to documents filed in this case, the defendants obtained the account and personal information of individuals in over 21 states and fraudulently added their names to the victims’ accounts in an account takeover scheme. The defendants either utilized their own names or utilized aliases with the accounts which had been taken over. They purchased gift cards, Postal money orders, and made numerous retail purchases with the fraudulently obtained credit cards throughout Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Georgia. They also made cash withdrawals on the accounts and utilized the convenience checks associated with the accounts at various financial institutions located in Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Georgia. Throughout the criminal conduct, the defendants would also mail gift cards, Postal money orders, and U.S. currency from Indiana and Wisconsin to Georgia. This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Toi Houston.
Week in Review – Fort WayneRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
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Fort Wayne, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEA:
Arturo DeLuna, 46, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Roger B. Cosbey to the felony offense of conspiracy with intent to distribute cocaine.Magistrate Cosbey is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This case resulted from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.No sentencing date has been set.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller-Lowery.
John Bennett, 35, of Sturgis, Michigan, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Roger B. Cosbey to the felony offense of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and use of communications in conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.Magistrate Cosbey is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. No sentencing date has been set.This case resulted from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller-Lowery.
Nicholas J. Zimmerman, 29, of Fort Wayne, Indiana pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Roger B. Cosbey to the felony offense of receiving stolen property of the United States.Magistrate Cosbey is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This investigation was conducted by the United States Marine Corps. Sentencing has been set for 12/2/2013.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Geller.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Kenneth McCreary Jr., 26, of South Bend, Indiana was sentenced by District Judge Theresa L. Springmann to 2 years of probation and $733.06 in restitution after pleading guilty to the felony offense of theft or receipt of stolen mail matter.According to documents filed in this case, McCreary stole checks mailed to another individual.The defendant then used numerous checks for unauthorized purchases totaling over $700. This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Investigation Services.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller-Lowery.
Scot Silvers, 47, of Angola, Indiana was sentenced by District Judge Theresa L. Springmann to 54 months imprisonment, 2 years of supervised release and $1,342.16 in restitution after pleading guilty to the felony offenses of production and trafficking in counterfeit device, fraud with identification documents, and uttering counterfeit obligations.Additionally, the United States was granted forfeiture of the electronic devices he used to commit these crimes.According to documents filed in this case, Silvers used a sophisticated arrangement of color printer and scanner technology in attempts to create counterfeit money.The paper currency was detected by department store employees who applied standard, anti-counterfeit procedures during check out of an accomplice. Silvers was later arrested while in the process of generating such items.This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tina Nommay.
Week in Review – South BendRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
South Bend, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEA:
Adam Snyder, 28, of Warsaw, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher Nuechterlein to the felony offense of possession of child pornography. Magistrate Nuechterlein is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation.Sentencing has been set for 11/6/13. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by United States Secret Service.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Maciejczyk.
Kandi Biggins, 43, of Spencerville, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher Nuechterlein to the felony offense of bank fraud. Magistrate Nuechterlein is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. Sentencing has been set for 10/31/13.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.
Thomas C. Touhey, 55, of Walkerton, Indiana, pled guilty before District Judge District Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. to the felony offense of unlawful transport of firearms. Sentencing has been set for 11/6/2013. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Maciejczyk.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Abigail Marin-Flores, 41, of Ligonier, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to time served after pleading guilty to the felony offense of unlawful re-entry into the United States after deportation.According to documents filed in this case, on February 25, 2012, Marin-Flores was deported to Mexico at Laredo, Texas, after having been found in the United States without having been properly admitted. The defendant was arrested in Elkhart County, Indiana, in April of 2013 for identity theft and forgery charges after her illegal re-entry. This case was the result of an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
Marquis Broadway, 19, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to 162 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offenses of carjacking and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.According to documents filed in this case, in July 2011 Broadway used a handgun to demand and steal a vehicle.In August 2011 Broadway was stopped and arrested in the stolen vehicle.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the South Bend Police Department.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.
Pablo Bueno III, 25, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to 27 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.According to documents filed in this case, Bueno went to Midwest Gun and Range with two other people for the purpose of target shooting. Ammunition was purchased for several firearms. During the target shooting, Bueno handled all firearms that were rented and brought to the range. He signed a document at the desk indicating he was not a convicted felon. However, Bueno had a prior conviction for attempted residential entry and was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William Grimmer.
Scott Reahard, 46, of Wabash, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. to 120 months imprisonment, $5000.00 in restitution and 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of child pornography.According to documents filed this case, Reahard possessed a laptop computer and media which contained digital images that depicted child pornography.Reahard admitted to possessing over 600 images, some of which portrayed minors who had not attained the age of 12 years.This case was the result of an investigation by United States Marshal’s Service and the Indiana State Police.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Maciejczyk.
Robert Pulliam, 52, of New Carlisle, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge District Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. to time served and 2 years supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of manufacturing marijuana.According to documents filed in this case, Pulliam had a small grow operation in the home in which he lived alone. He also had 22 firearms of various types and hundreds of rounds of ammunition that he kept in an unlocked gun safe next to the grow room. This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
Week in Review – HammondRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Hammond, Indiana - The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEAS:
Tenando Osborne, 39, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.Sentencing has been set for 10/30/13.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Gary Police Department.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas McGrath.
Antonio DuPree Collins, 37, of Merrillville, Indiana, pled guilty before Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas McGrath.
Brian Washington, 26, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to the felony offenses of distribution of crack cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas McGrath.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Gabriel Jalomos, 25, of Chicago, Illinois a defendant in the case US v Vargas et al., was sentenced by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to 240 months imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity, and in a separate matter, conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine and marijuana, and the robbery of a 7-Eleven store in Hammond, Indiana.According to the indictment charging racketeering, Jalomos is a member of the Latin Kings, which is a nationwide gang that originated in Chicago and has branched out throughout the United States, including to Texas. The indictment also alleged that the Latin Kings gang was responsible for at least 19 murders in the Chicago/Northwest Indiana area and Big Spring, Texas. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Immigration and Custom Office of Homeland Security Investigations; the National Gang Targeting, Enforcement & Coordination Center; the National Gang Intelligence Center; the Chicago Police Department; the East Chicago Police Department; the Griffith Police Department; the Hammond Police Department; the Highland Police Department; and the Houston Police Department.The investigation of the Chicago Police Department officers was conducted by Chicago City Public Corruption Task Force, a Chicago Police Department- Internal Affairs and FBI - Chicago law enforcement initiative.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Nozick, and Joseph A. Cooley, Trial Attorney, United States Department of Justice - Organized Crime and Gang Section.
Bradley Jefferson, 24, of East Chicago, Indiana, was sentenced by Magistrate Judge Paul Cherry to 6 months of probation after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of a weapon within a National Park.This case was the result of an investigation by the National Park Service-Indiana Dunes.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Padilla.
Cortez Humphrey, 38, of University Park, Illinois, was sentenced by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to 168 months imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Humphrey was charged along with eight others with participation in a heroin ring.Humphrey admitted to being a mid-level supplier of heroin and to regularly fronting heroin to co-conspirators, who paid him after selling the heroin to others in and around the Newton County area.This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Chang-Adiga and Jacqueline Jacobs.
Willie G. Flowers, 32, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior District Judge James Moody to 46 months imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.According to documents filed by the government in this case, East Chicago Police Department Officers saw Flowers, who was walking towards them, place an item near a garbage dumpster. That item was recovered and found to be a .38 caliber revolver loaded with six (6) rounds of ammunition.Flowers has prior felony convictions for possession of cocaine and battery on a police officer.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the East Chicago Police Department.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.
Shawn Pitts, 42, of McKinney, Texas, a former East Chicago Police Officer from 1997 to 2011, was sentenced by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to 8 months of home detention and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of mail fraud.Pitts was caught “double-dipping”.Pitts would claim to be working two jobs at the same time on many days. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gary Bell.
Week in Review – Fort WayneRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Fort Wayne, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEA:
Gerardo Martinez-Gaston, 42, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Roger B. Cosbey to the felony offense of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine. Magistrate Cosbey is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This investigation was conducted by the FBI Fort Wayne Safe Streets Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The Fort Wayne Safe Streets Task Force is comprised of FBI agents and officers from the Indiana State Police, Allen County Police Department, and Fort Wayne Police Department. The New Haven Police Department, Steuben County Sheriff's Department, Elkhart County Interdiction and Covert Enforcement Unit, South Bend Police Department, and IMAGE Drug Task Force assisted with this investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller Lowery.
Joseph R Topp, 20, of Angola, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Roger B. Cosbey to the felony offense of distribution of child pornography. Magistrate Cosbey is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This case resulted from an investigation by members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation Cyber Crime Task Force.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller Lowery.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Brenna Underwood, 27, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was sentenced by District Judge Theresa L. Springmann to 1 year of probation after pleading guilty to the felony offense of maintaining a drug involved premises.According to documents filed in this case, Underwood managed a building in Fort Wayne for the use and manufacture of crack cocaine. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Geller.
James Rogers, 29, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Theresa Springmann to 46 months of imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to documents filed in this case, Rogers was convicted in 2003 for distribution of crack cocaine. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lovita Morris-King.
Ku-La Lwin, 19, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Theresa Springmann to 24 months imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of receipt and possession of a non-registered short barreled shotgun. According to documents filed in this case, Lwin was in possession of a New England 12 gauge sawed off shotgun with both the barrel and stock illegally modified.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tina Nommay.
Leonard Riley, 21, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Theresa Springmann to 21 months of imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.According to documents filed in this case, Riley was arrested while in possession of a handgun and had been previously convicted of auto theft.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lovita Morris-King.
Week in Review – South BendRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
South Bend, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEA:
John Carlisle, 49, of New Haven, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher A. Nuechterlein to the felony offense of making false statements and reports regarding mortgage loans and aiding and abetting in such conduct. Carlisle also admitted to the indictment’s forfeiture allegation. Magistrate Nuechterlein is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.Sentencing has been set for 10/17/2013 3:30 PM before Judge Jon E. DeGuilio.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.
Carmen Leon, 41, of Edinburg, Texas, pled guilty before District Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr to the felony offense of conspiracy to distribute narcotics and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Carmen Leon also admitted to the indictment’s forfeiture allegation This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency.Sentencing has been set for 12/9/2013 1:30 PM before Judge Robert L. Miller Jr.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William Grimmer.
Cesar Leon, 22, of Edinburg, Texas, pled guilty before District Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr to the felony offense of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and structuring transactions to evade bank reporting requirements. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency.Sentencing has been set for 12/9/2013 1:30 PM before Judge Robert L Miller Jr. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William Grimmer.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Joseph Brownlee, 49, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. to 60 months imprisonment and 2 years supervised release after being found guilty of the felony offense of being a felon in possession of firearm.According to documents filed for the case, Brownlee attempted to discard a Smith & Wesson handgun during a police pursuit.Brownlee was convicted of murder in Cook County, Illinois in 1983.The defendant also has prior felony convictions for intimidation and operating a vehicle while intoxicated.As part of the sentence, the Smith & Wesson handgun was also forfeited to the United States.This case was the result of an investigation by the South Bend Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.
Week in Review – HammondRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Hammond, Indiana - The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEAS:
Dedrick Bufkin, 20, of Merrillville, Indiana, a defendant in the case US v Toney et al., pled guilty before District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to the felony offense of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.Sentencing has been set for 10/16/13.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation GRIT Task Force and the Merrillville Police Department.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang-Adiga.
Scott Filbey, 47, of Walton, Kentucky, pled guilty before District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to the felony offense of production of child pornography.Sentencing has been set for 10/8/13.This case resulted from an investigation by members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, including the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Indiana State Police, the Franklin County Ohio Sheriff’s Office ICAC Task Force and the Cincinnati Police/Hamilton County Sheriff Electronics Computer Investigation Section.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jill Koster.
Raynell Vaxter, 52, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.Sentencing has been set for 10/23/13.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Kolar.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Javorious Raggs, 22, of Hammond, Indiana, a defendant in the case US v Puntillo-Raggs et al., was sentenced by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to 2 years of probation to include 12 months on home detention and $13,910.00 in restitution after pleading guilty to the felony offense of passing counterfeit obligations.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Raggs passed the counterfeit currency in payment for “purchased” items from the victim store. He later returned many of the items “purchased” with the counterfeit currency in exchange for genuine cash or other things of value. This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Randall Stewart.
Week in Review – Fort WayneRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Fort Wayne, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEA:
Troy Ditiway, 26, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Roger B. Cosbey to the felony offense of possession of materials depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Magistrate Cosbey is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.No sentencing date has been set.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller-Lowery.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Leroy D Wilson, Jr , 37, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Theresa L. Springmann to 60 months imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offenses of distribution of more than 50 grams of crack cocaine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The court’s sentence also included an order of forfeiture. The defendant was convicted in 2002 of criminal recklessness.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Agency.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tina Nommay.
Walter J. Ridley, 32, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Theresa L. Springmann to 12 months imprisonment (time served) and 2 years supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm .According to documents filed in this case, Ridley was convicted for possession of Marijuana in 2008.In June of 2012, Ridley was found in possession of a PT140 .40 caliber handgun.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller-Lowery.
Federal Grand Jury in Fort Wayne Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
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www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
FortWayne,Ind. TheUnitedStatesAttorney'sOfficeannouncedthataGrand JurysittinginFort Wayne,Indiana,returnedthefollowingIndictmentsonJuly24,2013:
Keana M.Davis,33,andAmandaMcBride,30,bothofFortWayne,Indianaarechargedina6 countIndictment(respectively)withconspiringtodistributeanddistributionandpossessionwithintentto distributecocaineandcocainebase,commonlyknownas“crack”fromonoraboutApril15,2013and continuingtoonoraboutJune27,2013,anddistributionofcocainebase,commonlyknownas“crack”or aboutApril15,2013.Davisisalsochargedwithdistributionofcocainebase,commonlyknownas “crack”onoraboutApril24,2013,May3, 2013,andMay28,2013.McBridewasalsochargedwith profitingfrommaintainingadruginvolvedpremisesfromonoraboutApril15,2013,toonoraboutJune 27,2013.Thesechargeswerefiledasaresultofaninvestigationby theFederalBureauofInvestigation SafeStreetsTaskForceandtheFortWaynePoliceDepartment.ThisIndictmentalsoseekstheforfeiture ofanypropertyderivedthecommissionofsuchcharges.Thiscasehasbeenassignedtoandwillbe prosecutedbyAssistantUnitedStatesAttorneyAnthonyW.Geller.
RickeyD.James,Sr.,55,ofFortWayne,Indiana,ischargedinatwocountIndictmentwithbeing afeloninpossessionofafirearmandammunitiononoraboutMay29,2013andpossessinganunregistered firearmonoraboutMay29,2013.ThischargehasbeenfiledasaresultofaninvestigationbytheBureau ofAlcohol,Tobacco,FirearmsandExplosivesandtheFortWaynePoliceDepartmentBombSquad.This casehasbeenassignedtoandwillbeprosecutedby AssistantUnitedStatesAttorneyTinaL.Nommay.
WilliamSallee,20,ofOssian,Indiana,BrandonBetz,21,ofBluffton,Indiana,KameronKutzli, 22,ofDunkirk,IndianaandTysonAllen,26,ofBluffton,Indianaareeachchargedinasinglecount IndictmentwithretaliatingagainstawitnessonoraboutJune5,2013.Thischargewasfiledasaresultof aninvestigationbytheBureauofAlcohol,Tobacco,FirearmsandExplosives,UnitedStatesMarshals Service,andtheWellsCountySheriff’sDepartment.Thiscasehasbeenassignedtoandwillbe prosecutedbyAssistantUnitedStatesAttorneyAnthonyW.Geller.
TheUnitedStatesAttorney'sOfficeemphasizedthatanIndictmentismerelyanallegationand thatallpersonschargedarepresumedinnocentuntilandunlessprovenguiltyincourt.
Ifconvictedincourt,anyspecific sentencetobeimposedwillbedeterminedbythejudgeaftera considerationoffederalsentencingstatutesandtheFederalSentencingGuidelines.
Week in Review – South BendRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
South Bend, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEAS:
Decarlo Knighten, 36, of LaPorte, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher A. Nuechterlein to the felony offense of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Magistrate Nuechterlein is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency.Sentencing has been set for 10/17/2013 before Judge Jon E. DeGuilio. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
Ian T Kideys, 49, of La Jolla, California, pled guilty before District Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr to the felony offense of wire fraud. Sentencing has been set for 10/21/2013 9:00 AM before Judge Robert L. Miller Jr. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by Department of Housing and Urban Development.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Brian Purvines, 41, of Granger, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to 57 months imprisonment and 20 years supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of child pornography.According to documents filed with this case, Purvines was detected based on his having files available for distribution via file sharing software known as “Frostwire.”Purvines possessed approximately 291 images of child pornography and 33 videos.The images and videos contained prepubescent children engaged in sexual activity with adults.This case resulted from an investigation by members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Maciejczyk.
Clifton Vortice, 33, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr to 24 months imprisonment and 2 years supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.According to documents filed in this case, Vortice has a 2006 marijuana possession conviction. In September 2011, he purchased and possessed a Desert Eagle 9 mm pistol.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.
Kevin Howell, 46, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr to 60 months imprisonment and 4 years supervised release, after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possessing with the intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base (“crack.”)According to documents filed in this case, in January 2013, Howell possessed 28 grams of a white rock like substance at his residence in LaPorte County, Indiana.This substance was later tested by the Indiana State Police Lab and found to be cocaine base.This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
Cedric Hill, 33, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Robert L. Miller to 70 months imprisonment and 2 years supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possessing a firearm in and affecting interstate or foreign commerce.Hill has a prior felony firearms conviction. According to documents filed in this case, in November 2012, South Bend Police Officers stopped Hill after he left the Water Works Car Wash in South Bend, Indiana. Hill had been involved in an altercation at the Car Wash. Officers found a handgun outside the Car Wash. Hill admitted to having dropped this handgun outside the Car Wash and that he had possession of the weapon.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
Randell Hargrove, 27, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to total of 63 months imprisonment, 3 years supervised release on each count (concurrent) for a total of 3 years supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of distributing marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.According to documents filed with this case, Hargrove distributed both hydroponic and non-hydroponic marijuana.Hydroponic marijuana is the growing of plants in an inert, sterile growing medium rather than soil. At the time of law enforcement’s search of a relevant location, firearms belonging to Hargrove were retrieved.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.
Week in Review – HammondRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Hammond, Indiana - The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEAS:
Monta Oliver, 36, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to the felony offense of distribution of crack cocaine.Sentencing has been set for 9/25/13.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Gary Police Department.This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Armando Salinas.
Regina Cabell, 36, of West Lafayette, Indiana, pled guilty before Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to the felony offense of submitting a claim to Indiana Medicaid for service to an Indiana Medicaid recipient that she did not actually provide and failure to file a 2011 federal income tax return.Sentencing has been set for 10/25/13.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Berkowitz.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Terrence Benson, 23, of Hammond, Indiana, a defendant in the case US v Puntillo-Raggs et al., was sentenced on July 12, 2013 by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to 12 months of probation and restitution of $4,000.00 after pleading guilty to the felony offense of passing counterfeit obligations.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Benson passed the counterfeit currency in payment for “purchased” items from the victim store. He later returned many of the items “purchased” with the counterfeit currency in exchange for genuine cash or other things of value. This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Randall Stewart.
Tyrone Reynolds, 34, an illegal alien living in Chicago, Illinois, and a defendant in the case US v Blades et al., was re-sentenced by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to 384 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release if not deported after being found guilty at trial of the felony offenses of kidnapping, conspiracy to distribute marijuana and use of a firearm during a crime of violence in relation to a narcotics offense.According to documents filed in this case, Reynolds and seven others robbed the victim, a self-admitted drug dealer, at his residence in Gary, Indiana.The group looted the victim’s residence, finding over $15,000 in cash.Believing there were more drugs and money they beat the victim and demanded that he cooperate.Eventually, the victim hatched a plan to escape by proposing to Reynolds that he could take the group to a cache of marijuana being stored in Chicago.Reynolds believed the victim and the group decided they would go to the location in Chicago.The victim was able to escape from the vehicle on route to the location and called law enforcement.This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Chicago Police Department.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Nozick.
Jon Zondor, 71, of Hammond, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 120 months imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of child pornography.Zondor was also ordered to pay $500 in restitution to each of two victims.According to documents filed by the government in this case, 9,433 images and 248 videos were found in Zondor’s possession, many of which depicted prepubescent children being caused to engage in sexually explicit conduct .Zondor was convicted of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in 1989. This case resulted from an investigation by members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jill Koster.
Dwayne Crawford, 40, of Merrillville, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior District Judge James Moody to 97 months imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offenses of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and engaging in a monetary transaction with criminally derived property of a value greater than $10,000.This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacqueline Jacobs.
Joshua Atwood, 29, of Crown Point, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to 97 months imprisonment and 20 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of child pornography involving visual depictions involving a minor who had not attained twelve years of age.This case resulted from an investigation by members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, including the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jill Koster.
Montell Williams, 34, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to 120 months imprisonment and 8 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of transporting an individual in interstate commerce with the intent that the individual engage in prostitution.According to documents filed by the government in this case, the Gary Police Department received information from an Illinois citizen who reported her daughter was being held against her will. The investigation subsequent to that initial lead established that Williams, acting as a pimp, was recruiting women into prostitution, advertising them on internet sites, transporting them across state lines and using force to ensure they continued to work for him. From 2010 to 2012, the victims resided with Williams in Gary, Indiana, and two different locations in Illinois. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Gary Police Department.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jill Koster.
Week in Review – Fort WayneRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Fort Wayne, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
DISPOSITIONS:
Francisco Garcia-Hernandez, 35, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Theresa L. Springmann to 37 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to the felony offense of distributing and possessing with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, namely 500 grams or more of cocaine.According to documents filed in this case, undercover law enforcement was able to purchase cocaine from Garcia-Hernandez.Garcia-Hernandez was involved in numerous drug transactions of which the last involved transacting approximately 528 grams of cocaine pressed into a hard brick form.This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Geller.
Clara M Haught, 64, of Garrett, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Theresa L. Springmann to 3 years of probation, to include10 months of home detention, and $31,075.42 in restitution after pleading guilty to the felony offense of production/trafficking in counterfeit devices.According to documents filed in this case, Haught opened multiple credit cards in a friend’s name without their permission or consent.Haught gained knowledge of the information by claiming to help the individual with a local cable bill.This case was the result of an investigation by United States Postal Service.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tina Nommay.
Suspended Doctor Sentenced for Illegally Dispensing Millions of Pills at Area Weight Loss Clinics, as Well as Tax Evasion with WifeRead the Press Release
U.S. Department of Justice
UnitedStatesAttorney
NorthernDistrictof Illinois
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
GaryS. Shapiro EverettMcKinleyDirksenUnitedStatesCourthouse
UnitedStatesAttorney219SouthDearbornStreet,5thFloor
HAMMOND,Ind.—Asuspendedphysician whoownedweightlossclinicsinnorthwest IndianaandsouthsuburbanChicagowassentencedtotwoyearsinfederalprisonforillegally dispensingmillionsofpillscontainingamphetamine-basedcontrolledsubstancestopatients,and heandhiswifewerealsosentencedforfederalincometaxevasionrelatingtotheiroperationof theclinics.Thedefendants,DR.RAKESHANANDandMEENAANAND,whoownedand managedDoctorsWeightLossClinicsinMerrillville, Ind.,andTinleyParkandOrlandParkin Illinois, werealsoordered topay$745,872inrestitution totheIRSfromnearly$5.2million that was seizedfromthemandorderedforfeited.
Rakesh Anand ,57,a suspendedphysicianinIllinoisandwhowasalsolicensedinIndiana, andhiswife,MeenaAnand,53,bothofTinleyPark,weresentenced yesterday byU.S.District JudgeJosephS.VanBokkeleninFederalCourtinHammondafterbothdefendantspleadedguilty inJanuary. TheU.S.Attorney’sOfficeinChicagoishandlingtheprosecutionintheNorthern DistrictofIndiana.JudgeVanBokkelenfinedRakeshAnand$750,000andorderedhim tobegin
serving histwo-yearsentenceonAug.30.MeenaAnandwasfined$100,000andorderedto beginservingher30-daysentenceon Sept.3.
Inadditiontothefines,forfeiture,andrestitution, theAnandsremaincivillyliabletothe InternalRevenueServiceforanyandallbacktaxesandacivilfraudpenaltyofupto75percent of theunderpaymentplusinterest.
TheAnandshadagreed,andthejudgeorderedthem,topayrestitution of$745,872tothe IRSfortaxestheyowedonnearly $2millionofunreportedincomebetween2005and2008. The restitutionistobepaidfromfundsfrozeninabrokerageaccountwhentheAnandswereindicted inAugust2011. Inaddition,theyagreedtoforfeitmorethan$4.45millioninadditionalfunds thatwerefrozenorseizedduringtheinvestigation,bringingtonearly$5.2millionthetotal amountof funds beingappliedtoforfeitureandrestitution.
Rakesh Anand admittedthatbetweenJanuary2002andFebruary2010,heandanother physician, Dr.DineshSaraiya,purchased anddispensedmorethan1millionpillscontaining Phendimetrazine,aScheduleIIIcontrolledsubstance,andmorethan3millionpillscontaining Phentermine,aScheduleIVcontrolledsubstance.TheAnandsgrossedmorethan$5million fromtheiroperationof thethreeweightloss clinics.
(Saraiya,75,ofTinleyPark,cooperated inthecaseandpleadedguiltytoconspiracy to distributecontrolledsubstances. Heisscheduled tobesentenced onJuly30inFederalCourtin Chicago.)
Accordingto court records,between2002 and February2010, RakeshAnand hired Saraiya,whoagreedwithhimtoillegallydispensetheamphetamine-basedcontrolledsubstances asweightlossmedicationstopatientswithoutperformingphysicalexaminationsoranymedical
tests ,andwithoutreviewingpatients’records, obtaining acomplete medicalhistory,orproviding anysubsequentmonitoring. Inreturn,RakeshAnandpaidSaraiyabasedonhowmanypatients hesawandhowmanypillshedispensedtopatientsonadailybasis.Indispensing the medications,RakeshAnandandSaraiyafailedtodeterminewhetherpatientshadfirstmadea reasonableefforttoloseweightthroughdietandexercise, aprerequisite toprescribingcontrolled substancesforweightloss. Insomeinstances,RakeshAnandemployedclerkstodispensethe controlledsubstanceseventhoughhewas notpresentandhadnotconsultedwiththem.
Duringthecourseoftheinvestigation, severalundercoverlawenforcementagents, including twowithslightbuildsandbodymassindexeswellbelowtheobesitylevel,purchased controlledsubstancesattheclinicswithoutanyof theappropriatemedicalprotocols.
The sentences were announcedby Gary S. Shapiro,United States Attorney for the NorthernDistrictofIllinois.Theinvestigation wasconductedbytheFederalBureauof Investigation, theDrugEnforcementAdministration,theInternalRevenueServiceCriminal InvestigationDivision,theFood andDrug AdministrationandtheIndianaStatePolice.
Thegovernment isbeingrepresentedbyAssistantU.S.AttorneysMatthewSchneider, DianeBerkowitz,andOrest Szewciw.
Indictments Returned in Hammond Federal CourtRead the Press Release
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Hammond, Indiana- The United States Attorney’s Office announced that the following Indictments were returned today:
Jeremy David Evans, 31, of Glendale Heights, Illinois, was charged with the bank robbery of TCF Bank in Munster, Indiana and Fifth Third Bank in Hammond, Indiana on August 8, 2012.These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Nozick.
Joshua Mijares, 34, of Griffith, Indiana, was charged with illegal re-entry into the U.S. after deportation and illegal re-entry into the U.S. after deportation subsequent to a conviction for an aggravated felony.These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Randall Stewart.
Sonyinee Davis-Pope, 38, of Hammond, Indiana, was charged with 11 counts of making false statements by falsifying information on an application for a position with the United States Postal Service.These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General.This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Toi Houston.
The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Week in Review – South BendRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
South Bend, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEA:
Terry Williams, 47, of Elkhart, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher A. Nuechterlein to the felony offense of knowingly possessing a firearm in and affecting interstate or foreign commerce. Magistrate Nuechterlein is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. Sentencing has been set for 10/15/2013 before District Judge Robert L. Miller Jr. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Week in Review – HammondRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Hammond, Indiana - The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEAS:
Carl Powers, 54, of Hoffman Estates, Illinois, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to the felony offenses of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.Sentencing has been set for 10/16/13.These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jill Koster.
Anthony Stewart, 23, of East Chicago, Indiana, pled guilty before Senior District Judge James Moody to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives HIDTA Task Force and the East Chicago Police Department.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Nozick.
Jose Lechuga-Carrasco, 38, of Cicero, Illinois, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to the felony offense of possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.Sentencing has been set for 10/18/13.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hammond Police Department.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Laurie Brezinski, 43, of Schererville, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 36 months imprisonment, $659,048.63 in restitution to Ticor Title Insurance Company and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offenses of embezzlement from 2001 through 2008 and filing false tax returns for tax years 2003 to 2008.This case was the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacqueline Jacobs.
Charles Standifer, 37, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by Chief Judge Philip Simon to 18 months imprisonment and 1 year of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return.This case was the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jill Koster.
Tracey R. Tigner, 42, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 3 months imprisonment, restitution of $30,462.35 and 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of embezzlement of funds from Painters District Council 91 of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, a labor organization.This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Department of Labor.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Randall Stewart.
Julian Rebeles, 22, of Hammond, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 30 months imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Rebeles has prior convictions for burglary and resisting law enforcement.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives HIDTA Task Force and the Hammond Police Department.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Nozick.
Octavio Alejandre-Mata, 45, of Hobart, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to 12 months and 1 day imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release, if not deported, after pleading guilty to the felony offense of distribution of cocaine.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Mata had been deported and reentered the U.S. twice and was selling cocaine in and around the Hobart area.This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation GRIT Task Force.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacqueline Jacobs.
Jesus Ramirez, 42, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by Senior District Judge James Moody to 188 months imprisonment, restitution of $20,000 and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of kidnapping.According to documents filed by the government, this case began with the kidnaping of an identified victim in East Chicago, Indiana, on January 14, 2011. The victim was attacked, pinned to the ground, and told that if he did not go with Ramirez and others, his attackers would take not only him, but also members of his family. Multiple ransom calls were made to the victim’s family, including those threatening to kill the victim. Finally, on January 18, 2011, the victim’s family paid the ransom demand. Ramirez was arrested following the ransom payment.Ramirez’ prior criminal activity ranges from traffic violations to burglary, battery and narcotics charges. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation GRIT Task Force.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.
Mark Ciesiolka, 39, of Columbus, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior District Judge James Moody to 120 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of attempted transmission of obscene material to a minor.According to documents filed by the government in this case, in February of 2008, after a trial by jury, Ciesiolka was convicted of coercion and enticement of a minor and sentenced to 300 months incarceration. His conviction was set aside by the Court of Appeals. On November 26, 2012, the defendant pled guilty to a lesser charge of transferring obscene material to a minor. This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Philip Benson.
Jazneen Williams, 23, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by Chief Judge Philip Simon to 12 months of probation after pleading guilty to the felony offense of making false statements in the purchase of a firearm.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Williams straw-purchased a firearm for another individual who was a convicted felon.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Chicago Police Department.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean Lanter.
Alejandro Marquez, 31, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by Senior District Judge James Moody to 46 months imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Marquez assisted in arranging for the transportation of over 100 kilograms of marijuana from Texas to Indiana.This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.
Week in Review – Fort WayneRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Fort Wayne, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
DISPOSITIONS:
Dashawn Jones, 23, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Theresa L. Springmann to serve 18 months imprisonment, concurrent with any remaining un-discharged term of imprisonment as ordered by Allen County Superior Court, and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jones has a prior conviction for burglary.In December of 2012, during a residence check, Jones was discovered to have a firearm on his person. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Geller.
Antonio Sewell, 31, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Theresa L. Springmann to serve 76 months imprisonment and 4 years supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances.According to documents filed, Sewell maintained a place for the purpose of distributing cocaine. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Geller.
Federal Grand Jury in Fort Wayne Returns IndictmentRead the Press Release
FortWayne,IN - TheUnited States Attorney's Office announced that a Grand Jury sitting in Fort Wayne, Indiana, returned the following Indictment on June 26, 2013:
Cheryl Green, 50, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is charged in a two count Indictmentwithfalse statementsinapplicationof socialsecuritybenefitsandtheftofgovernmentpropertyboth occurring on or about November 2010 and continuing to on or about August 2012.This charge wasfiledasaresultofaninvestigationbytheSocialSecurityAdministrationandtheUnitedStates PostalInspectionService.ThiscasehasbeenassignedtoandwillbeprosecutedbyAssistant United States Attorney Lovita Morris King.
TheUnitedStatesAttorney'sOfficeemphasizedthatanIndictmentismerelyanallegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed willbedetermined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Week in Review – HammondRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Hammond, Indiana - The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
DISPOSITIONS:
James L. Williams, 45, of Kankakee, Illinois, was sentenced by Senior District Judge James Moody to 87 months imprisonment, restitution of $284,218.29 and 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of the armed bank robbery of Kentland Bank in Lake Village, Indiana.This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Newton County Police Department.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Nozick.
Johana Jatzhiry Velazquez, 29, a Mexican national residing in Rensselaer, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to time already served and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Velazquez was responsible for assisting with the transportation of a significant amount of cocaine.This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Illinois State Police.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.
Imaru Jones, 29, of Griffith, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior District Judge James Moody to 2 years of probation to include 8 months of home detention after pleading guilty to the felony offense of distribution of marijuana.According to documents filed by the government in this case, the offense involved the Jones selling approximately 8,642 grams of marijuana over the course of three sales to a confidential informant. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean Lanter.
Miguel Villegas-Marin, 54, of Indianapolis, Indiana, a defendant in the case US v Montoya Gonzalez et al., was sentenced by Senior District Judge James Moody to 37 months imprisonment and 1 year of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Villegas-Maris was involved in picking up a load of marijuana that was transported from Texas.This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.
Robert Thompson, Jr., 25, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior District Judge James Moody to 37 months imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.According to documents filed by the government in this case, an AK-47 rifle was found in a vehicle occupies by Thompson during a traffic stop.Thompson has prior convictions for dealing in cocaine in 2008 and a controlled substance crime in 2008.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Gary Police Department.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Padilla.
William Weigand, 43, of Portage, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 6 months imprisonment, six months of home detention and 1 year of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Weigand has a prior conviction for burglary in 1989.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Indiana State Police.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Nozick.
Linda Lyrla, 58, of Demotte, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior District Judge James Moody to 46 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offenses of mail fraud and tax evasion.Lyrla also was ordered to pay restitution totaling $1,426,057.85 to the victims and forfeiture of $1,384,600.00.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Lylra embezzled funds from her employer, Alliance Technology Group.In 2001, Lyrla began her scheme to siphon money by creating an internal fund for a credit card.During the next nine years, she used the credit card for personal purchases and paid the balances with company funds.She used the money to fund an extravagant lifestyle and did not pay income taxes to the IRS on her ill-gotten income. This case was the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gary Bell.
Week in Review – Fort WayneRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Fort Wayne, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEAS:
Ron Luthe, 46, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Roger B. Cosbey to the felony offense of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Magistrate Cosbey is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tina Nommay.
Rico Parrish, 27, of Warsaw, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Roger B. Cosbey to the felony offense of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Magistrate Cosbey is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea. Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Gellar.
Juan Olivo, 36, of Milford, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Roger B. Cosbey to the felony offense of knowingly or intentionally distributing heroin. Magistrate Cosbey is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Geller.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Brandon Terry, 29, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by Judge Theresa L. Springmann to serve 37 months imprisonment (time served & ordered released) and 3 years supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession with intent to distribute five (5) grams or more of crack cocaine.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Wayne Police Department.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tina Nommay.
Federal Grand Jury in Fort Wayne Returns IndictmentRead the Press Release
FortWayne,IN C TheUnited States Attorney's Office announced that a Grand Jury sitting in Fort Wayne, Indiana, returnedthe following Indictment on May 22, 2013:
DavidWilliams,28,ofFortWayne,Indiana,is chargedinasinglecountIndictmentwith making a false statement on an FFL application onor about February 15, 2013.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Fort Wayne Police Department.Thiscasehasbeenassignedtoandwillbeprosecutedby Assistant United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
TheUnitedStatesAttorney'sOfficeemphasizedthatanIndictmentismerelyanallegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed willbedetermined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Week in Review – South BendRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
South Bend, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEA:
Jonathan Parahams, Jr., 35, of South Bend, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher A Nuechterlein to the felony offense of conspiracy to defraud the United States Department of the Treasury. Magistrate Nuechterlein is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. Sentencing set for 10/3/2013 before District Judge Jon E DeGuilio. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Jaleen McGee, 20, of South Bend, Indiana, a defendant of the case US. v Shaw, et al., was sentenced by Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr to 87 months imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of racketeering.According to documents filed, McGee was a member of the “Cash Out Boyz,” a gang in South Bend, Indiana. The gang was involved in a pattern of criminal activity including drug trafficking and use of firearms, robberies and intimidation.McGee was arrested carrying marijuana for distribution and was involved in the shooting and robbery of a fellow Cash Out Boyz member.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the South Bend Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.
Wilbur Crawford, 21, of South Bend, Indiana, a defendant in the case US v Shaw, et al., was sentenced by District Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr to 79 months imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime/crime of violence.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Crawford was involved in a home invasion in which a man was shot and a pound of marijuana was stolen. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.
Omar Lewis, 34, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to 151 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of knowingly and intentionally possessing with the intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base (“Crack”).According to documents filed by the government in this case, Lewis sold crack cocaine in the LaPorte area in 2011.This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William Grimmer.
Harry Kiste, 56, of Elkhart, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to 5 years supervised probation, 10 months location monitoring on home detention and a $500 fine after pleading guilty to the felony offense of failing to register as a sex offender.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Kiste was convicted for attempted criminal sexual conduct in 1996.This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Marshal’s Service.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Maciejczyk.
Week in Review – HammondRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Hammond, Indiana - The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEAS:
Michael Delgado, 21, of Hammond, Indiana, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.Sentencing has been set for 10/3/13.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives HIDTA Task Force and the Lake County Police Department.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Padilla.
Matthew Jasek, 30, of Schererville, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Paul Cherry to the felony offense of possession of child pornography.Magistrate Cherry is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas McGrath.
Nalon Edmonds, 21, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to the felony offense of being an unlawful user of marijuana in possession of a firearm.Sentencing has been set for 9/24/13.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Indiana University Northwest Police Department.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Padilla.
Deanbra Martin, 23, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to the felony offense of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.Sentencing has been set for 9/17/13.This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Michigan City Police Department.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Joseph Gilman, 23, and Derek Muilenburg, 25, of Demotte, Indiana and defendants in the case US v Humphrey et al., were sentenced by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano.Both Gilman and Muilenburg were sentenced to 46 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin. This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang-Adiga.
Nicole Smith, 31, of Hammond, Indiana, was sentenced by Magistrate Judge Andrew Rodovich to 1 year of probation after pleading guilty to the felony misdemeanor of theft of government property.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Smith admitted that during the 2008-2009 academic school year at Purdue University-Calumet she submitted an application to receive federal funds for student aid and failed to report additional income received from Action for Children, which provides financial assistance for childcare for families living in the state of Illinois.This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Toi Houston.
Ronald Slusser, 49, and Joseph Kumstar, 42, both of Crown Point, Indiana, defendants in the case US v Kabella et al., were sentenced by Senior District Judge James Moody on June 27, 2013.Slusser was sentenced to 70 months imprisonment and 1year of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offenses of conspiracy to provide false information to a Federal Firearms Licensee, conspiracy to defraud the FDA, making false statements on a tax return and laundering/structuring of monetary instruments.Slusser was also ordered to pay $198,817.71 in restitution to the IRS for tax years 2005-2010.Kumstar was sentenced to 57 months imprisonment and 1 year of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offenses of conspiracy to provide false information to a Federal Firearms Licensee, conspiracy to defraud the FDA and making false statements on a tax return.Kumstar was ordered to pay $22,612.62 in restitution to the IRS for tax years 2005-2009.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Slusser, while a patrol officer with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, and Kumstar, while the Deputy Chief for the Lake County Sheriffs Department, conspired to obtain restricted firearms and defraud the FDA in order to retain restricted laser sites.The conspiracy involved the trafficking of between 25-99 firearms.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Food and Drug Administration, the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Defense Criminal Investigation Service.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Philip Benson.
Nancy Stofko, 37, of Crown Point, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior District Judge James Moody to 21 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release and restitution to the victim in the amount of $572,173.09 after pleading guilty to the felony offense of wire fraud.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Stofko admitted that while employed as an office manager at the Complete Valve Repair Services, Inc. she wrote checks and used the company credit cards to make hundreds of unauthorized purchases for her personal use and benefit. This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Randall Stewart.
Week in Review – Fort WayneRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
Fort Wayne, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
DISPOSITIONS:
Joseph Brewington, 24, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Theresa L. Springmann to 36 months imprisonment and 2 years supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of knowingly maintaining a premise for the purpose of distributing marijuana.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Gellar.
Jermorris Sewell, 30, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Theresa L. Springmann to serve 110 months imprisonment and 8 years supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of knowingly or intentionally conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances.This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Gellar
Federal Grand Jury in Fort Wayne Returns IndictmentRead the Press Release
Fort Wayne, INCThe United States Attorney's Office announced that a Grand Jury sitting in Fort Wayne, Indiana, returned the following Indictment on June 26, 2013:
Darnell Bontempo, 30, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was charged in a single count Indictment with being a violent felon in possession of body armor on or about May 31, 2013. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Northeast Indiana Federal Bank Robbery Task Force. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
##END##Week in Review – South BendRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Mary Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ CELL: (219) 314-9993
South Bend, Indiana —The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEAS:
Jose Nambo, 32, of St. Anne, Illinois, pled guilty before District Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. to the felony offense of knowingly or intentionally conspiring to deliver a mixture or substance that contained over 500 grams of cocaine and/or 100 kilograms of marijuana. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
DISPOSITIONS:
Deandre Grant, 35, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Robert L. Miller to 3 years of probation, $19,657 restitution and 6 months home detention, after pleading guilty to the felony offense of theft of government property.According to documents filed, Grant repeatedly lied in order to continue receiving unemployment insurance benefits while actually employed.This case was the result of an investigation by the Department of Labor.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Barbara Brook.
Andres Garcia, 56, of Hoopeston, Illinois, was sentenced by District Judge Robert L. Miller to serve 71 months imprisonment and 3 years supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of knowingly or intentionally conspiring to deliver a mixture or substance that contained over 500 grams of cocaine and/or 100 kilograms of marijuana.According to documents filed, Garcia was involved in drug trafficking activity that spanned Indiana and Illinois.When his home was raided in June of 2012, 26 pounds of marijuana was retrieved by law enforcement officials.This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
Aurelio A Guerra, 46, of Weslaco, Texas, was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to serve 106 months, 3 years supervised release on each count (to run concurrently) for a total of 3 years after pleading guilty to the felony offense of selling, distributing, or dispensing marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and aiding & abetting.According to documents filed, Guerra was involved with several others in the distribution of several hundred pounds of marijuana in LaPorte County.During his involvement with the aforementioned distribution, Guerra possessed a firearm and remained near additional weapons maintained to protect the drugs and the sales.This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Joint Drug Enforcement Agency/State or Local Task Force.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William Grimmer.
Terry W. Smith, 44, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to 3 years supervised probation and $18,330.00 in restitution after pleading guilty to the felony offense of theft of government property.According to documents filed, Smith collected regular unemployment and then extended the benefits while actually employed.This case was the result of an investigation by the Department of Labor.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Barbara Brook.