Northern District of Indiana
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Federal Grand Jury Returns IndictmentRead the Press Release
South Bend, IN—The United States Attorney's Office announced that a Grand Jury sitting in Hammond, Indiana, returned the following Indictment on January 16, 2013:
Jonathan Parahams, Jr., 35, Africa Gunn, 35, Angela White, 31, Alicia Green, 27, and Levelle Sanders, 26, all of South Bend, Indiana, were charged in an Indictment with participating in a scheme to prepare and file approximately 1,189 tax returns making false and fictitious claims from the Northern District of Indiana and elsewhere requesting a total of approximately $3,543,794 in tax refunds.The Indictment alleges that the defendants solicited identifying information of individuals, including their names and social security numbers, to use to file fraudulent 2008, 2009 and 2010 U.S. tax returns and then directed the refunds to be received and deposited into bank accounts controlled by the defendants and others.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 Frank Schaffer.
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 L. Hatton
www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/ Fax: (219) 852-2770
South Bend, Indiana -- The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that:
PLEAS:
Brett Keiling , 48, of Granger, Indiana, pled guilty before District Judge Robert Miller, Jr. to the felony offense of threatening to assault an employee of the United States with the intent to interfere with the performance of official duties. Sentencing has been set for 4/15/13.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 Barbara Brook.
Jose Nevarez, 36, of South Bend, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher Nuechterlein to the felony offense of structuring transactions to evade reporting requirements.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. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division.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:
Christopher Peter, 35, of Mishawaka, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Jon DeGuilio to 60 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Peter admitted that he grew marijuana in the garage at his residence located in Mishawaka, Indiana.He had a loaded Hi-Point 9mm semiautomatic pistol that was hidden in the ceiling of the basement which he could easily access. He possessed this firearm in furtherance of possessing and manufacturing marijuana. This case was the result of an investigation by the by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Indiana State Police.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/ FAX (219) 852-2770
Hammond, Indiana - The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEAS:
Montell Williams, 33, of Chicago, Illinois, pled guilty before Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to the felony offense of transporting for prostitution.Sentencing has been set for 4/25/13.These charges were 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 Jill Koster.
Laurie Brezinski, 43, of Schererville, Indiana, pled guilty before District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to the felony offenses of embezzlement from a corporation engaged in the business of insurance and filing a false income tax return.Sentencing has been set for 4/4 13.These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacqueline Jacobs.
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:
Nathaniel Milligan, Jr., 43, of East Chicago, Indiana, a defendant in the case US v Webb et al., was sentenced by District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 51months imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offenses of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and conspiracy to distribute marijuana.This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the East Chicago Police Department.This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Kolar and Jill Koster.
Kimberlyn Cross, 49, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 27 months imprisonment, restitution of $121,600.00 and 1 year of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of wire fraud.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Cross pled guilty and admitted her role in a scheme to defraud the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (“FSSA”).Cross ran a fake daycare at the expense of Indiana citizens. Her conduct involved a high level of sophistication – including paying kickbacks to some mothers to gain access to their swipe cards and repeatedly submitting false information to the State giving the impression a daycare operated at her home. In reality, for many months, no daycare existed. Cross used others, including minors, to steal $121,600 from FSSA and $17,683.81 from a business providing food services to FSSA. 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.
Gerardo Lozano, 35, of Hobart, Indiana, was sentenced by Chief Judge Philip Simon to 21 months imprisonment, restitution of $5,136.00 and 1 year of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of paying a bribe to an agent of local government receiving federal funds.According to documents filed by the government in this case, Lozano formed Greentree Builders in 2006.From 2007 through 2009 Lozano’s business received 1.3 million dollars from East Chicago, the School City of East Chicago and the East Chicago Public Library. In 2008, Lozano provided free home renovations to Frank Ramirez, Treasurer for the School City of East Chicago with the intent to influence Ramirez with respect to contracts issued by the school city of East Chicago, a local government that received more than $10,000 in federal funds during 2008. 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 Gary Bell.
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 December 18, 2012:
Troy A. Ditiway, 26, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is charged in a single count Indictment with possession of one or more matters containing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct on or about September 20, 2012. The Indictment also seeks for the forfeiture of a computer and a thumb drive. This charge was filed as the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Wayne Police Department. 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##