Northern District of Indiana

HAMMOND- Randy Smith, 24, recently of Golden Valley, Minnesota, was charged in a criminal complaint with interstate kidnapping, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch. 

U.S. Attorney Kirsch says, “The speedy charges filed in this matter represent the responsiveness of our law enforcement partners to investigate violent crime. Our strong commitment to investigating and prosecuting senseless violent crimes will always remain.”

The criminal complaint alleges that on the morning of December 5, 2018, a victim in Lafayette, Indiana, was kidnapped against her will and under threat of death or serious bodily injury, held for ransom, and transported to Illinois by individuals including Randy Smith.  On the evening of December 5, law enforcement stopped a vehicle in Illinois containing the victim and Smith, at which time Smith was taken into custody. 

The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that a criminal complaint is merely an allegation and that all persons are presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty in court.

If convicted, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lafayette Police Department, and investigators with the Tippecanoe County Prosecutor’s Office.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Mahoney.

HAMMOND- Derek Tyrone Edwards, 40 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

Edwards was sentenced to 96 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release when released from prison.

According to documents in the case, on February 15, 2018, law enforcement responded to 8th and Grant Street, Gary, Indiana, concerning a traffic collision and made contact with Edwards, an occupant of a vehicle.  While talking to Edwards, law enforcement observed a gun magazine inside the vehicle and had Edwards exit the vehicle.  Law enforcement recovered a 7.62x39mm semi-automatic pistol from the vehicle.  In pleading guilty, Edwards admitted possessing the firearm and having prior felony convictions:  a 2014 conviction in Indiana for Possession of Cocaine or Narcotic Drug and convictions in Wisconsin for Manufacture/Deliver THC in 2006, Possession with Intent THC in 2004, and Forgery in 2002. 

This case was part of our Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program.  The program brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. Learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods.   

This case was investigated by the ATF/HIDTA Task Force and Gary Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Padilla.

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HAMMOND –Eric P. Krieg, age 46, of Munster, Indiana, plead guilty to knowingly making an unregistered destructive device, mailing a destructive device, malicious use of explosive materials, and mailing a threatening communication, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “Mr. Krieg’s guilty plea is a reflection of the outstanding work by our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners in solving this horrific crime.  Mr. Krieg’s egregious, retaliatory conduct put several lives at risk.  Under the terms of his plea agreement he will be punished severely. Criminal conduct like Mr. Krieg’s will never be tolerated.”

This case stems from the September 6, 2017 U.S. Postal Service facility explosion in East Chicago and the mailing of a suspicious package on September 29, 2017.  In October 2017, Krieg was arrested and charged.  He has been in custody since his arrest. 

In the plea agreement, the parties agree that Krieg should serve a sentence of 29 years. 

According to the plea agreement filed today, Krieg is prepared to admit the following facts:

From 2012 through August 2017, I engaged in a series of online postings and communications concerning other residents of Northwest Indiana. Through these online postings and communications, I made statements in multiple online forums, including a webpage ‘blog’ format that I controlled and administered.

Victim 1 was an attorney who represented an individual in a lawsuit against me. This lawsuit was filed in the Lake County, Indiana Superior Court in 2013 based upon statements I made on my blog.  After the filing of the lawsuit, I filed bankruptcy in the United States Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Indiana.  Through filings made in the Bankruptcy Court, Victim 1 claimed the lawsuit could not be discharged in bankruptcy.  I agreed to settle the lawsuit with Victim 1’s client.  The settlement required me to pay Victim 1’s client $45,000 and post an apology on my blog.  I paid $45,000 and made an online apology.   

In retaliation for the filing and settling of this lawsuit and other grudges I held, I devised a plan to construct and mail a pipe bomb that I hoped and believed would kill or injure Victim 1.  I constructed this pipe bomb and knew that it contained explosives and items that would produce shrapnel.  The pipe bomb was constructed in the Northern District of Indiana.  The pipe bomb was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

On September 6, 2017, I placed the pipe bomb in the mail by delivering it to the United States Post Office, 901 East Chicago Avenue, East Chicago, Indiana and ensuring it had the appropriate postage.  I mailed the pipe bomb with the intention that it kill or injure Victim 1.  I am aware the pipe bomb exploded before it was delivered to Victim 1 and instead injured Victim 2, a postal worker.  I damaged the Post Office where the pipe bomb exploded.  At the time of the explosion, the Post Office was used in interstate commerce or was used in an activity affecting interstate commerce.

I engaged in online communications with Victim 3.  Victim 3 was a resident of Northwest Indiana.  I was upset with, and held grudges against, both Victim 1 and Victim 3.  On September 29, 2017, I mailed a threat to kill or injure Victim 3.  I placed this threatening communication in the mail in the Northern District of Indiana and it was post marked to, and I am now aware later delivered to, Victim 3 in the Northern District of Indiana.

This case results from an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives; United States Marshal’s Service; East Chicago Police; Hammond Police; Indiana State Police; Munster Police; and Porter County Sheriff’s Department.    This case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua P. Kolar and Jennifer Chang.

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FORT WAYNE – An individual who presented ID as Dumitru Tirlea, was charged by criminal complaint with defrauding a financial institution and possessing access device making equipment, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

According to documents in the case, on or about November 28 through 30 of 2018, Tirlea attempted to execute a scheme to defraud a federally insured financial institution.  Law enforcement has been investigating several reports of skimming devices being placed on bank ATMS as well as gas station credit card readers at gas pumps.  The device captures the credit and debit card numbers of unsuspecting victims and stores the numbers.  After time the device is removed and the information from the skimming device is used to produce fraudulent credit/debit cards for unauthorized transactions.

In this case, a bank in Warsaw, Indiana reported a device on their ATM on November 28, 2018.  Law enforcement conducted surveillance on the affected ATM. On November 30, Dumitru pulled up on the ATM and not having enough time to complete a transaction drove off.  Law enforcement followed, conducted a traffic stop and arrested him.  Tirlea, was identified based on ATM surveillance video, as the individual who placed the device on the ATM on November 28, 2018. 

The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that a criminal complaint 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.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the Indiana State Police Organize Crime and Corruption Unit and Warsaw Police Department.  This case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey Speith.

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FORT WAYNE – Brock Shellman, 34 years old, of Albion, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Theresa L. Springmann after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.

Shellman was sentenced to 108 months in prison and 2 years of supervised release.

According to documents in the case, from February, 2016 through April 2016, Shellman and co-defendants conspired and distributed methamphetamine.

This case was the result of an investigation by the following federal agencies: ATF; DEA; IRS-Criminal Investigation Division and DHS/ICE in Salt Lake City, Utah. The following state and local law enforcement agencies also participated in this investigation: Indiana State Police; Allen County Sheriff Department; Noble County Sheriff Department; Steuben County Sheriff Office; Fort Wayne Police Department; Albion Police Department; Rome City Police Department; Kendallville Police Department; the Noble County Prosecutor’s Office and the Summit County, Utah Sheriff’s Office.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.

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SOUTH BEND - Blake Robison, age 27, of Warsaw, Indiana, was sentenced before South Bend District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. for transporting child pornography in interstate commerce, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.    

Robison was sentenced to 91 months in prison with 5 years of supervised release after his prison term. 

According to documents in this case, in 2017, using a home computer, Robison uploaded two videos into his Dropbox account.  The videos contained sexually explicit conduct by a minor.  Robison also possessed over twenty thousand images of child pornography and over 400 videos.  Some of the images depicted bestiality and sadistic images, and still others depicted prepubescent children, or children under the age of twelve.  Robison obtained some of the images from the dark web and he used cloud storage to hide his collection of images. 

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Indiana State Police.  The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Maciejczyk.

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SOUTH BEND - Marvin Tobar, age 29, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced before South Bend District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio for possession of a firearm after having been convicted of a felony offense, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.  

Tobar was sentenced to 64 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release. 

According to documents in this case, on the afternoon of April 22, 2018, Tobar stood in the road in a neighborhood in South Bend and fired twenty (20) rounds from a .223 caliber rifle.  Another man fired at least one shot from a handgun.  At least one vehicle that was parked down the street from the incident was struck by a bullet.  Numerous people were at home and present when Tobar fired his rifle.   Several witnesses came outside, met police, and talked about the incident.  After firing his rifle, Tobar ran inside a nearby house, hid the rifle in a crawlspace and hid the magazine in a closet.  When police found the gun, the magazine was empty but the rifle still had one live round in the chamber.  Tobar has three prior convictions for misdemeanors and two prior felonies.  One of his prior felonies involved Tobar taking a loaded rifle onto school property.  In 2011, Tobar was convicted of reckless homicide when he pulled a handgun and began shooting during a confrontation. When others joined him, a man was killed.  

This case was investigated by ATF with assistance from the South Bend Police Department.  The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Gabrielse.

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WASHINGTON - A Cedar Lake, Indiana Latin Kings gang member, was sentenced to 324 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering activity and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana for his role and participation in the Latin Kings street gang, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Thomas L Kirsch II for the Northern District of Indiana. 

Sergio M. Robles aka Checko, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio.  At sentencing, Robles was held responsible for participating in the December 2003 murder of Jonathan Zimmerman in Hammond, Indiana, and the May 2008 murder of Jose Cortez in East Chicago, Indiana. The Latin Kings suspected Zimmerman was involved in a drug transaction with counterfeit currency. Accordingly, Zimmerman was shot and killed by a co-defendant. Jose Cortez was shot to death by another co-defendant because the Latin Kings believed Cortez was a member of a rival street gang. According to documents in this case, Robles possessed a firearm in furtherance of the gang’s activities and was involved in a conspiracy to distribute 150 kilograms of cocaine and 1,000 kilograms of marijuana.

“Today’s 27-year sentence demonstrates that our focused efforts on investigating and prosecuting gang members committing violent acts on the streets of Northern Indiana, past or present, is long from over,” said U.S. Attorney Kirsch.  “Just last week we had a member receive a 28-year sentence.  Our community and law enforcement partnerships are some of the best and we will continue investigating and prosecuting these type of cases.”

According to the third superseding indictment returned on Nov. 16, 2011, the Latin Kings is a nationwide gang that originated in Chicago and has branched out in Indiana and throughout the United States, including to Texas. The Latin Kings is a well-organized street gang that has specific leadership and is comprised of regions that include multiple chapters. The third superseding indictment filed in this case alleges that the Latin Kings gang was responsible for at least 19 murders in the Chicago/Northwest Indiana area and Big Spring, Texas.

In addition to Robles, 19 other co-defendants, including two former Chicago police officers, entered guilty pleas and were previously sentenced for their roles in the racketeering conspiracy. One co-defendant, Martin Anaya, was convicted of racketeering and drug conspiracies at trial and subsequently sentenced to 30 years in prison.

This case was investigated by the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Griffith Police Department; the Chicago Police Department; the East Chicago Police Department; the Hammond Police Department; the Highland Police Department; the Houston Police Department and the Lubbock Police Department. This case was prosecuted by the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section (OCGS) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph A. Cooley (formally a Trial Attorney with OCGS) and David J. Nozick prosecuted this case. 

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HAMMOND –Eric P. Krieg, age 46, of Munster, Indiana, through his attorney, filed a signed agreement with the United States Attorney’s Office indicating his intent to plead guilty to knowingly making an unregistered destructive device, mailing a destructive device, malicious use of explosive materials, and mailing a threatening communication, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

This case stems from the September 6, 2017 US Postal Facility explosion in East Chicago and the mailing of a suspicious package on September 29, 2017.  In October 2017, Krieg was arrested and charged.  He has been in custody since his arrest. 

In the plea agreement, the parties agree that Krieg should serve a sentence of 29 years. 

According to the plea agreement filed today, Krieg is prepared to admit the following facts:

“From 2012 through August 2017, I engaged in a series of online postings and communications concerning other residents of Northwest Indiana. Through these online postings and communications, I made statements in multiple online forums, including a webpage ‘blog’ format that I controlled and administered.

“Victim 1 was an attorney who represented an individual in a lawsuit against me. This lawsuit was filed in the Lake County, Indiana Superior Court in 2013 based upon statements I made on my blog.  After the filing of the lawsuit, I filed bankruptcy in the United States Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Indiana.  Through filings made in the Bankruptcy Court, Victim 1 claimed the lawsuit could not be discharged in bankruptcy.  I agreed to settle the lawsuit with Victim 1’s client.  The settlement required me to pay Victim 1’s client $45,000 and post an apology on my blog.  I paid $45,000 and made an online apology.   

“In retaliation for the filing and settling of this lawsuit and other grudges I held, I devised a plan to construct and mail a pipe bomb that I hoped and believed would kill or injure Victim 1.  I constructed this pipe bomb and knew that it contained explosives and items that would produce shrapnel.  The pipe bomb was constructed in the Northern District of Indiana.  The pipe bomb was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

“On September 6, 2017, I placed the pipe bomb in the mail by delivering it to the United States Post Office, 901 East Chicago Avenue, East Chicago, Indiana and ensuring it had the appropriate postage.  I mailed the pipe bomb with the intention that it kill or injure Victim 1.  I am aware the pipe bomb exploded before it was delivered to Victim 1 and instead injured Victim 2, a postal worker.  I damaged the Post Office where the pipe bomb exploded.  At the time of the explosion, the Post Office was used in interstate commerce or was used in an activity affecting interstate commerce.

“I engaged in online communications with Victim 3.  Victim 3 was a resident of Northwest Indiana.  I was upset with, and held grudges against, both Victim 1 and Victim 3.  On September 29, 2017, I mailed a threat to kill or injure Victim 3.  I placed this threatening communication in the mail in the Northern District of Indiana and it was post marked to, and I am now aware later delivered to, Victim 3 in the Northern District of Indiana.”

The plea hearing will take place in the near future before United States District Court Senior Judge Joseph S. Van Bokkelen in the Hammond Federal Courthouse. 

This case results from an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives; United States Marshal’s Service; East Chicago Police; Hammond Police; Indiana State Police; Munster Police; and Porter County Sheriff’s Department.    This case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua P. Kolar and Jennifer Chang.

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SOUTH BEND – Shane Inghels, 36 years old, of Mishawaka, IN, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr., after pleading guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch. 

Inghels was sentenced to a total of 235 months imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release when released from prison. 

U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “A violent offender was put in prison for his crimes.  Today’s sentence should serve as a warning to others that disregard for the rule of law will result in serious consequences.  My office and our law enforcement partners will continue to focus our efforts on career criminals, like Mr. Inghels.”

According to documents in the case, Inghels had outstanding warrants for failure to appear when he traveled from Mishawaka to Michigan City to sell methamphetamine. After meeting with individuals in Michigan City, he drove away from the area with a passenger in his car who was eight and a half months pregnant. Police officers began following his vehicle, at which point he sped away and fled from police down a highway while driving at speeds in excess of 130 miles per hour. Inghels drove into oncoming traffic and through stop lights while the passenger in his car begged him to stop. After driving more than ten miles, Inghels lost control of the car and crashed into a ditch. He got out of the car and ran away, leaving his pregnant passenger behind. Inghels only stopped when police officers deployed a K-9 to assist them in taking him into custody. Inghels had over $2,500.00 on him when officers caught him. Officers found Inghels’s safe in the trunk of the car, which was filled with over 65 grams of methamphetamine and two firearms.  Inghels has several felony convictions, which not only qualifies him as a felon in possession of a firearm but also as an armed career criminal.  Since age 18, Inghels’ crime actions have included breaking into a home to steal firearms; beating a person in a parking lot until the victim suffered a concussion and a broken nose; manufacturing methamphetamine; breaking into a garage to steal items to sell; beating a person while in jail; and committing offenses while on probation.     

This case was investigated by the ATF and the LaPorte County Drug Task Force with the assistance of the Lake County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Indiana State Police, Michigan City Police Department, New Carlisle Police Department, and St. Joseph County Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Molly E. Donnelly.

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SOUTH BEND – Kevin Pope, 32 years old, of South Bend, IN, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Robert Miller, Jr., after pleading guilty to possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch. 

Pope was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment and 4 years supervised release when released from prison. 

According to documents in the case, on or about April 5, 2017, Pope was in possession with intent to distribute over 100 grams of heroin.

This case was investigated by the ATF with the assistance of the South Bend Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.

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HAMMOND – Twenty Seven Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters were each sentenced after guilty pleas to one count of health care theft, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

According to the documents filed in this case, 27 members of the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters filed false medical claims illegally requesting reimbursement of medical expenses from the union’s health care program.  These 27 union members pled guilty to Health Care Theft and were ordered to pay restitution to the union health fund.  The total amount ordered repaid was $531,422.68.

U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “Both the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and Employee Benefit Security Administration take health care fraud seriously.  To be able to have restitution ordered in excess of $500,000 greatly enhances the reliability of these plans.”  

“We will continue to work with the U.S. Department Labor’s Employee Benefit Security Administration and our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of employee benefit plans,” stated James Vanderberg, Special Agent-in-Charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.

“The Employee Benefits Security Administration will continue to investigate such crimes aggressively on behalf of workers nationwide as part of the Department’s mission to protect the rights of America’s workers,” said EBSA Regional Director Jeffrey A. Monhart, in Chicago.

These cases were investigated by the United States Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General and the Employee Benefits Security Administration and prosecuted by United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Indiana. 

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HAMMOND- Anton James, Jr., 22, of Hammond, Indiana, was sentenced by Judge Simon to 28 years imprisonment following his guilty plea to conspiracy to commit racketeering activity for his role and participation in the Latin Kings street gang, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch. 

U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “Mr. James, through his gang activities, terrorized the streets of Northwest Indiana.  The 28 year sentence reflects the seriousness of these crimes.  We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and the community to investigate and prosecute gangs.”

At sentencing, James was found to have committed the October 28, 2014, murder of Martin Hurtado, Sr., of Hammond, Indiana, in furtherance of the Latin Kings.  Hurtado, an innocent victim who was not a gang member, was outside his residence working on his car when he was gunned down by James in an effort to further James’ standing and prestige in the Latin King street gang.  According to documents in this case, James was involved with the Latin Kings from approximately 2011 - 2015.  During his involvement with the Latin Kings, he conspired to distribute between 5 and 15 kilograms of cocaine.  He patrolled Latin King controlled territory in Hammond, Indiana, in furtherance of the gang while armed with a firearm with an extended magazine.  On another occasion, he shot an entire magazine worth of bullets at a residence of a rival Latin Counts member.  On another occasion, James shot at rival Spanish Gangster Disciples members outside of a convenience store in Hammond. 

Enforcement actions and partnerships related to violent gangs are part of our Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program.  The program brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. Learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods.   

This case is the result of the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the East Chicago Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Gary Police Department, the Hammond Police Department, the Lake County, Indiana, Sheriff’s Department and Lake County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area officers and agents.  The Lake County Prosecutor’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Illinois, has also provided assistance.  The Latin King case is being prosecuted by Northern District of Indiana Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. Nozick, Dean R. Lanter, and Joseph A. Cooley, formerly of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.

SOUTH BEND – Mathew P. Ridenour, 30 years old, of Mishawaka, IN, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Robert Miller, Jr., after pleading guilty to the Production of Child Pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch. 

Ridenour was sentenced to 180 months imprisonment and 5 years supervised release when released from prison. 

According to documents in the case, on or about February 16, 2017, Ridenour recorded a video of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  He also admitted to having over 600 images of child pornography on his computer.

This case was investigated by the FBI, St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department and the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Cybercrime Unit.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John M. Maciejczyk.

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HAMMOND- Michael Cruz, 39, of Wheeling, Illinois, was sentenced before District Court Judge Philip P. Simon on his plea to possession with intent to distribute heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

Cruz received a sentence of 57 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release. 

According to documents filed in this case, DEA agents used a confidential source to negotiate with Michael Cruz and co-defendant Rigoberto Ortiz-Dominguez, for the purchase of kilograms of heroin on November 16, 2017. Cruz informed the confidential source that a courier would deliver the heroin later that same day. The courier was Ortiz-Dominguez. Hammond Police stopped both Cruz and Ortiz-Dominguez on their way to deliver the heroin. During a search of Ortiz-Dominguez’s car, police found 3.06 kilograms of heroin in a hidden compartment. Co-defendant Ortiz-Dominguez was sentenced to 51 months in prison on July 2018.    

This case was investigated by the DEA Indiana HIDTA Task Force with the assistance of the Hammond Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. McGrath. 

HAMMOND – Robert Watkins, 32 years old, of Porter, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio after pleading guilty, announced United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.

Watkins received a sentence of 15 months imprisonment and was ordered to pay $1,291,030 in restitution to Arcelor Mittal.

According to documents in the case, Watkins pled guilty to three counts of Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property because, between September 2013 and March 2014, Watkins and others stole a metal alloy called Ferro Columbium from Arcelor Mittal’s property and transported it across state lines to sell for profit.

This case was investigated by the FBI GRIT Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang.

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FORT WAYNE – Rasheed Stukes, age 27, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Theresa Springmann after pleading guilty to bank robbery along with using a dangerous weapon during such act, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

Stukes was sentenced to 140 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release. 

According to documents in the case, on April 11 2016, Stukes and two co-defendants attempted to rob a bank. During the course of the attempted robbery, a dangerous weapon was used causing injury to another person. A person was also forced to accompany the robbers against the consent of that person.

This case was investigated by the FBI and Indiana State Police.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller Lowery.

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FORT WAYNE – Andrew Wood, age 24, of Leo, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Theresa Springmann after pleading guilty to armed bank robbery along with aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

Wood was sentenced to 135 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $1,527.37 in restitution. 

According to documents in the case, on September 12, 2014, Wood and five co-defendants robbed a bank in Harlan, Indiana at gunpoint. Wood and another co-defendant entered the bank while the four remaining co-defendants, spread among three vehicles, took up various positions in the area surrounding the bank. After entering the bank, Wood’s co-defendant displayed a handgun and the two men demanded money from the bank employees. After having trouble exiting the bank, two shots were fired through the glass front doors of the bank so Wood and his co-defendant could exit.  Wood was apprehended a short time later a short distance from the bank. The other five co-defendants were also apprehended a short time later. 

This case was investigated by the FBI and Indiana State Police.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller Lowery.

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SOUTH BEND – Shawn M. Dewitt, 34 years old, of Lafayette, Indiana, was found guilty of production, possession and distribution of child pornography after a three-day jury trial before U.S. District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio, announced U. S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.

According to documents in this case, on November 26, 2017, Dewitt responded to an advertisement posted on an online social networking forum which was posted by an undercover FBI task force agent in Washington DC, who was familiar with child exploitation investigations.  In chatting with the undercover agent, Dewitt expressed a sexual interest in children and also informed the agent that he had access to two children for sexual purposes.  Dewitt sent the undercover agent videos and images of child pornography and also asked the undercover officer to send him videos of sexual acts with the undercover agent’s fictional 9 year old daughter.  The undercover agent sent an emergency referral to the Lafayette FBI office on November 27, 2017.   Officers from the Lafayette police department and FBI agents conducted a search the next day and arrested Dewitt. 

U.S. Attorney Thomas Kirsch II says, “This case demonstrates how rapidly the FBI and local law enforcement will respond in investigations where a child is at risk.  Children are the most vulnerable victims and our office and law enforcement partners will do everything we can to protect them from exploitation.”

Dewitt will be sentenced on February 7, 2019.  Because Dewitt was convicted of producing child pornography, by statute he must be sentenced to at least fifteen years’ incarceration.  The judge will determine the sentence after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and sentencing statutes.  

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Lafayette Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John M. Maciejczyk.

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WASHINGTON – Four additional members of Chicago area criminal street gang, the Latin Dragons Nation, have been charged with racketeering conspiracy and other related offenses in a second superseding indictment unsealed today, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II for the Northern District of Indiana announced. 

According to the second superseding indictment, the Latin Dragons Nation is a criminal street gang that originated in Chicago and spread to other areas, including the Northern District of Indiana.  Members and associates of the Latin Dragons Nation allegedly engage in acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, witness tampering, and assault, to protect the gang’s territory and drug operations.  Latin Dragons Nation gang members are required by gang rules to take immediate violent action against anyone who threatens them, and gain respect and status within the gang by doing so.

The four additional defendants charged in the nine-count indictment are Gustavo Colunga aka “Barkley,” 25, of Hammond, Indiana; Joshua Harris-White aka “BJ,” 24, of Chicago, Illinois; Mario Colunga, 30, of Whiting, Indiana; and Luis Colunga, aka “Panson,” 28, of Chicago, Illinois.

Among the various alleged offenses that the second superseding indictment added are:

• On or about July 27, 2015, allegedly Gustavo Colunga and Joshua Harris-White approached Victim #6, a juvenile, whom Gustavo Colunga and Harris-White believed was a rival gang member. Harris-White held Victim #6 down, while Gustavo Colunga stabbed Victim #6 in the throat. Both Gustavo Colunga and Harris-White fled in a vehicle driven by a third Latin Dragon Nation member.
   
• On or about Nov. 22, 2017, allegedly while Mario Colunga was driving a vehicle occupied by Ralph Mendez Jr., another Latin Dragon Nation member and three female associates, Mendez Jr. did a drive-by shooting in a rival gang neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois.
   

• On different occasions, allegedly Luis Colunga delivered an H&R .38 caliber revolver, and Gustavo Colunga delivered a Smith & Wesson .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol and Inter Ordnance .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol and a quantity of cocaine to an undercover ATF special agent. 
   
• On or about Aug. 13, 2018, Gustavo Colunga and Joshua Harris-White sold a Ruger .44 magnum revolver and a quantity of marijuana to an ATF undercover special agent.

The previously indicted defendants, charged in this case are Manuel Diaz aka “Smiley,” 27, of Hammond, Indiana; Eduardo Diaz-Corral aka “Lalo,” 20, of Calumet City, Illinois; Ralph Mendez Jr. aka “Lil Devious,” 22, of Chicago, Illinois; and Joseph Roggenkamp aka “Dro,” 21, of East Chicago, Indiana.  Diaz-Corral and Diaz allegedly participated, respectively, in the murders of Paul Cruz on Nov. 20, 2016, in Chicago, and Charles Berrios on Sept. 30, 2017, in Hammond, Indiana. These murders and other acts of violence are charged in this second superseding indictment.

The second superseding indictment is part of ongoing efforts to curb the activities of violent street gangs in the Northern District of Indiana. 

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

If convicted, 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 maximum penalty for murder in aid of racketeering is death or in the alternative a mandatory life sentence.

This case is the result of the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the FBI; the Hammond Police Department; the East Chicago Police Department; the Merrillville Police Department; the Hobart Police Department and the Lake County Sheriff’s Department along with the Chicago and Calumet City, Illinois Police.  The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Robert S. Tully of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph A. Cooley and David J. Nozick of the Northern District of Indiana.

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HAMMOND – U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch announces the return of a 14 count indictment that includes charges on conspiracy to straw purchase firearms, distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine and the possession of firearms by felons. 

According to documents in this case, Aaron Baxter, 30, of Michigan City, Indiana; Joseph Taylor, 34, of Gary, Indiana; and Susanne Tincher, 36, of Michigan City, Indiana, are all charged with a conspiracy to purchase firearms from a federal firearms licensee through misrepresentation.  In this case Suzanne Tincher made at least four firearm purchases during the conspiracy knowing that she was purchasing the firearms for persons who could not purchase the firearms themselves.  The indictment also includes one alleged straw purchase where, on the same day that Tincher purchased firearms from a store, Taylor, a convicted felon, sold 2 of those firearms to undercover officers under the direction of Baxter.

The indictment alleges that Baxter and Taylor were also dealing in highly pure methamphetamine and that Taylor was dealing in cocaine. In the indictment both Taylor and Baxter face additional counts of being felons in possession of firearms.

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.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms with assistance from the Michigan City Police Department and the LaPorte County Prosecutors Office.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. McGrath.

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HAMMOND – United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II announced federal racketeering and drug conspiracy charges against 6 members of the Latin Kings, a criminal enterprise operating in Chicago and Northwest Indiana.  Named in today’s two-count superseding indictment are:

Jeremiah Shane Farmer, 37, of Hammond, IN

Sean Michael Pena a/k/a “Big Body,” 36, of Hammond, IN

David Ulmenstine a/k/a “Silent,” 27, of Harvey, IL

Miguel Angel Marines a/k/a “Egg,” 24, of East Chicago, IN

Reynaldo Robles a/k/a “Sneaky,” 27, of Lake Station, IN

Mark Anthony Toney a/k/a “Slim,” 39, of Lake Village, IN

This fifth superseding indictment alleges a conspiracy to commit racketeering activity by the Latin Kings street gang and a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, marijuana, and alprazolam (Xanax), with the conspiracies stretching back to 1999.  Today’s superseding indictment charges for the first time that in 1999, in furtherance of the Latin Kings racketeering conspiracy, Farmer committed a double homicide during a robbery of a local Hammond, Indiana business.  In total, 50 members or associates of the Latin Kings street gang have been charged in Northern District of Indiana as part of this case.  

U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “This indictment should send a strong message to those engaged in gang and other violent crime.  We will focus all of our law enforcement efforts on reducing violent crime in my District.” 

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.

This case is the result of the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Chicago Police Department, the East Chicago Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Gary Police Department, the Hammond Police Department, the Lake County, Indiana, Sheriff’s Department and Lake County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area officers and agents.  The Northern District of Illinois United States Attorney’s Office and the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office also has provided assistance.  The Latin King case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. Nozick, Nicholas J. Padilla and Joseph Cooley of the Northern District of Indiana. 

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SOUTH BEND – Jesse Houston, 25 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge DeGuilio upon his plea of guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

Houston was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release

According to documents in the case, in May of 2018 Houston possessed with intent to distribute 2 pounds of marijuana.  He also possessed a loaded handgun to further his drug trafficking activity.  The marijuana and firearm were found when law enforcement searched his bedroom during the execution of a search warrant. 

This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.

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HAMMOND – Basil N. Ubanwa, 60 years old, of Crown Point, Indiana, was indicted by a federal grand jury for 11 counts of health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “Health care fraud is a serious crime that drives up the cost of healthcare for all honest Americans.  Medicare and Medicaid are not bottomless funds from which theft goes unnoticed or unpunished.  Taxpayers are the victims of these crimes.  We, with our law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate and aggressively prosecute perpetrators of these fraudulent schemes.”

The indictment alleges that between 2011 and 2018, Ubanwa executed a scheme to obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars by submitting fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid for ambulance services. From 2007 to 2018, Ubanwa was the owner and manager of Northwest Ambulance Services, located in Crown Point, Indiana. Northwest’s primary source of revenue was transporting patients to and from kidney dialysis appointments. According to the indictment, Ubanwa and others directed Northwest employees to transport patients by ambulance who did not qualify for ambulance transportation and who were not eligible to receive such services under Medicare reimbursement rules. Ubanwa and others instructed Northwest employees to bill Medicare and Medicaid for ambulance services that were not medically necessary.

The United States is seeking criminal forfeiture of the proceeds of the alleged crimes including, but not limited to, the over $1.9 million from bank accounts associated with Northwest Ambulance and Ubanwa that are listed in the forfeiture count of the indictment.

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.

This case was investigated by the FBI, Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Indiana Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Diane Berkowitz and Abizer Zanzi.

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One year ago, the Department of Justice announced the revitalization and enhancement of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which Attorney General Sessions has made the centerpiece of the Department’s violent crime reduction strategy. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Throughout the past year, we have partnered with all levels of law enforcement, local organizations, and members of the community to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

“Project Safe Neighborhoods is a proven program with demonstrated results,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “We know that the most effective strategy to reduce violent crime is based on sound policing policies that have proven effective over many years, which includes being targeted and responsive to community needs.  I have empowered our United States Attorneys to focus enforcement efforts against the most violent criminals in their districts, and directed that they work together with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and community partners to develop tailored solutions to the unique violent crime problems they face.  Each United States Attorney has prioritized the PSN program, and I am confident that it will continue to reduce crime, save lives, and restore safety to our communities.”  

“During the past 12 months, federal firearm related prosecutions have increased more than 20 percent throughout Northern Indiana.  PSN is a proven strategy, and we will continue to work with our local, state and federal partners on this important initiative to reduce violent crime throughout the district, which is a high priority of my office,” announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.  

As we celebrate the one-year anniversary of the revitalized PSN program, here are some of the highlights of our PSN actions over the past year:

Enforcement Actions

The U.S. Attorney personally meets with local law enforcement heads on a regular basis to guide the effort while members of his staff work with local law enforcement to identify the most dangerous offenders who will be prosecuted in federal court.  Federal and state law enforcement regularly work together to share crime intelligence information to identify the most violent members of our community.  During the past year, federal prosecutors and federal law enforcement agencies, working in conjunction with local law enforcement officials and prosecutors, have identified several groups of individuals who drive the violence in our community and have prosecuted members of those groups.

 Community Partnerships

The South Bend Group Violence Intervention Program (SBGVI) unites community leaders from law enforcement, government, education, civil service, and faith-based agencies in an effort to reduce gun violence in South Bend.  A centerpiece of this strategy is the critical analysis of crime data to identify groups that drive violence in the South Bend community and to focus crime prevention efforts on those groups.  A means of strategic communication with identified groups is through the use of periodic “call in” meetings.  The aim of the call in meeting is, by speaking to the 15-25 group connected individual invitees, spreading these SBGVI’s core messages: (1) the Community demands that gun violence must stop; (2) law enforcement will bring focused attention on any group that chooses to ignore the Community’s message and continues to engage in gun violence and; (3) the Community’s offer of social service assistance to persons who wish to embark on a path away from violence is real and robust. The law enforcement partners, based on review and analysis of violent crime data, implement enforcement actions against members and associates of groups/gangs that continue to engage in violent criminal activity. “In addition to call-in meetings, strategic communication through “custom notifications” to high risk individuals are increasingly used.”SBGVI has also recently added an outreach team whose goal is to foster relationships in the community and make citizens more comfortable with reporting information without fear of reprisal.

Like South Bend, Gary employs a group violence reduction strategy under the guidance of the National Network for Safe Communities. The strategy in Gary also includes call in meetings, custom notifications and social services outreach/support.

Improvements to Community Safety

• The FBI’s official crime data for 2017 reflects that, after two consecutive, historic increases in violent crime, in the first year of the Trump Administration the nationwide violent crime rate began to decline.  The nationwide violent crime rate decreased by approximately one percent in 2017, while the nationwide homicide rate decreased by nearly one and a half percent.

• The preliminary information we have for 2018 gives us reason for optimism that our efforts are continuing to pay off. Public data from 60 major cities show that violent crime was down by nearly five percent in those cities in the first six months of 2018 compared to the same period a year ago.

• In South Bend, the number of people shot has dropped by 33 percent during the first three quarters of 2018 compared to the same time last year.

These enforcement actions and partnerships are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. Learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods.

SOUTH BEND – Andre Pittman, 31 years old, of South Bend, Indiana was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio, after pleading guilty to two counts of robbery affecting interstate commerce, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch. 

The Court imposed a sentence of63 months, followed by 1 year of supervised release. 

According to documents in the case, Pittman robbed a cellular store on Lincoln Way West in South Bend on March 9, 2018.  He also robbed a video store on Portage Avenue in South Bend on March 13, 2018.  The combined cash stolen from these businesses

was $1,045.00 dollars.

This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the South Bend Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.

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SOUTH BEND – Seth Allen, 29 years old, of Claypool, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio, after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch. 

The Court imposed a sentence of 100 months incarceration and 1 year of supervised release.

According to documents in the case, on January 3, 2018, Allen possessed and sold an Intratec model Tec-DC9, nine-millimeter Luger semi-automatic pistol to another individual.  Allen had previously been convicted of a felony and has had multiple other criminal convictions since turning 18 years old.

This case was investigated by ATF with assistance from the Warsaw Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jesse Barrett.

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FORT WAYNE - United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II announced today a pre-suit settlement under the False Claims Act for fraudulently submitted claims payable with federal Blight Elimination Program funds for demolition work not performed properly.

During 2008, the United States Department of the Treasury (Treasury) created the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to stabilize the economy during the financial crisis.  During 2010, Treasury created the Hardest Hit Fund, Blight Elimination Program (BEP), one of several TARP programs, which funded the demolition of abandoned and blighted residential properties in designated cities.  The Special Inspector General for TARP (SIGTARP) is responsible for investigating fraud, waste, and abuse in the BEP.  The State of Indiana, through the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, administered the BEP program in Indiana using federal BEP funds.  The City of Fort Wayne, Indiana (Fort Wayne) was a BEP program partner that awarded contracts to Martin Enterprises, Inc. (Martin) to demolish houses on blighted properties using federal BEP funds.

Martin and its surety, Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Company, have agreed to pay $61,016 to resolve the United States’ claims under the False Claims Act for fraudulently submitting claims for federal BEP funds for demolition and fill work done in Fort Wayne from February-September 2017.  Specifically, after demolition, instead of filling the excavation sites with clean fill as required by the contract, Martin filled the excavation sites with construction debris and then falsely billed and received payments from the federal BEP program as if they had used clean fill.  Under the settlement, Martin repays the $30,508 of federal BEP funds that Martin received for the fraudulently billed claims, and also pays a civil penalty of $30,508.

“We will not tolerate dishonest contractors who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of federal taxpayers,” said United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.  “My Office’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit will continue to require contractors who submit fraudulent claims for federal government funds to reimburse the government for their ill-gotten gains and also pay civil penalties under the False Claims Act.”

“Dumping of potentially contaminated building material on blighted properties by the only Hardest Hit Fund-paid demolition contractor in Fort Wayne put residents and communities at risk while fleecing taxpayers,” said Christy Goldsmith Romero, Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program.  “I thank U.S. Attorney Kirsch and his Office’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit for standing with SIGTARP in the fight against fraud in TARP’s Blight Elimination Program.”

This settlement was reached as a result of an investigation by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana and the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program of the United States Department of the Treasury.  Assistant United States Attorney Wayne T. Ault handled the settlement negotiations.

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Hammond – Rico Prunty, 36, of Sierra Vista, Arizona has been charged with conspiracy to commit identity theft, aggravated identity theft, and criminal violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

According to court documents, between in or about July 2014 and continuing through in or about May 2017, Rico Prunty, an employee at an Arizona medical facility, accessed his employer’s patient medical intake forms which contained patients’ individually identifiable health information (i.e., patient names, dates of birth, social security numbers, and medical information) and provided that information to his co-conspirators in Northwest Indiana.  His co-conspirators then utilized that personal information to open numerous credit card accounts or access existing credit card accounts without the knowledge, permission, or authority of these Arizona residents.

The United States Attorney’s Office emphasized that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons 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 consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

This case was the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and in being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Toi Denise Houston.

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HAMMOND – Jossean Manuel Echevarria, 30 years old, of Hammond, Indiana, and Diquan Dashawn Ray, 23 years old, of Burnham, Illinois were charged on October 1, 2018 by criminal complaint with Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property, announced U.S Attorney Kirsch.

According to documents in the case, Echevarria and Ray stole copper wire from Clayhole Woods, a Cook County Forest Preserve in Illinois. They then transported that copper wire across state lines into Indiana. Officers stopped Echevarria and Ray in a vehicle in Hammond, Indiana and found them in possession of the copper wire from the forest preserve.

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.

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.

This case was investigated by the FBI GRIT Task Force in conjunction with Hammond Police Department, Lansing (Illinois) Police Department, and Cook County Sheriff’s Department.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang.

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HAMMOND – Jorge Esqueda, 24, of East Chicago, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Philip Simon after pleading guilty to racketeering conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

Esqueda was sentenced to 108 months in prison. 

According to documents in the case, Esqueda entered a guilty plea for conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity for his role and participation in the Latin Kings Street Gang.  As part of his plea agreement, Esqueda admitted that, as a member of the Latin Kings, he was a manager or supervisor of criminal activity, that he was responsible for between 3.5 and 5 kilograms of cocaine as drug weight relevant conduct, and that he possessed a firearm in connection with his offense. 

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the East Chicago Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Gary Police Department, the Hammond Police Department, the Lake County, Indiana, Sheriff’s Department and Lake County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area officers and agents.  The Lake County Prosecutor’s Office has also provided assistance.  The Latin King case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. Nozick and Dean Lanter of the Northern District of Indiana along with the Department of Justice Trial Attorney Joseph Cooley.

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SOUTH BEND – Michael Thomas, 41 years old, of Kouts, Indiana, was found guilty after a four-day trial before U.S. District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio, announced U. S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.

According to documents in this case, a grand jury charged Thomas in a four count indictment alleging that Thomas devised a scheme to defraud insurance companies.  The indictment alleged that he and others took out insurance policies on several residences near North Judson, Indiana, that he owned, shortly before each residence burnt due to arson.  The charged fires occurred in 2004, 2010, 2012 and 2013.  He and others received over $600,000 from the insurance companies.  

Mr. Thomas will be sentenced on January 17, 2019. 

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jesse Barrett.

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FORT WAYNE – Charles McCreary, age 27, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Theresa Springmann after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

McCreary was sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release. 

According to documents in the case, in January 2017, McCreary was in possession of a .40 caliber firearm after having three prior felony convictions in Allen County Court.  These three convictions qualify him as an armed career criminal. 

This case was investigated by the ATF, with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.

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FORT WAYNE – Keith Miller, age 35, of Albion, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Theresa Springmann after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess methamphetamine, knowingly and intentionally distributing methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

Miller was sentenced to 170 months in prison.

According to documents in the case, from February 2016 through April 2016, Miller and co-defendants conspired and distributed methamphetamine.  In November 2016 Miller was in possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

This case was the result of an investigation by the ATF, DEA, and IRS-Criminal Investigation Division with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Police Department.   This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller-Lowery.

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Hammond – Robert Timothy Wilson, 55, and Shelly Wilson, 53, of Valparaiso, Indiana have been charged with conspiracy to commit tax evasion, tax evasion, and failure to file tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

According to court documents, between on or about January 2008 and continuing through on or about April 2015, the Wilsons, owners and officers of Anchor Health Systems, Inc., conspired to evade paying taxes.  They also failed to file some required tax returns.  

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.

The case was the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Toi Denise Houston.

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HAMMOND- Tanisha Banks, age 38, James Caffey, age 28 and Leeroy Beck, age 28, all residents of Northwest Indiana, were charged in a 3 count Indictment, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

According to documents in this case, the three were charged with conspiracy to commit robbery.  Bank and Caffey are also charged with using a firearm during the commission of the robbery.  The indictment alleges that the three conspired to and robbed the Tolleston Post Office in Gary, Indiana on August 3, 2017.   

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.

This case was investigated by the U.S Postal Inspection Service.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas McGrath and Diane L. Berkowitz.

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HAMMOND – Lawrence W. LaFlower, 42 years old, of Valparaiso, Indiana, has been charged with one count of wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

US Attorney Kirsch said, "Public officials who abuse their positions for personal financial gain will not be tolerated.  My Office, with our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue those who corrupt their office for self-serving motives."

According to court documents, between April 2013 and April 2018, LaFlower used his position as the treasurer of the Fraternal Order of Police Ewalt Jahnz Lodge #165’s to embezzle over $180,000 from its investment and bank accounts. The FOP is a fraternal organization in Porter County, Indiana, whose mission is to improve working conditions for law enforcement officers and serve the public by raising money for scholarships and other programs.

LaFlower has entered into a plea agreement with the government and is expected to formally enter his plea of guilty in court later this week. 

The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that an Information 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.

This case was investigated by the FBI and Indiana State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abizer Zanzi.

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HAMMOND – Vondell Henry Jr., 21 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph VanBokkelen on his plea of guilty to Hobbs Act Robbery and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

Henry was sentenced to 105 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. 

According to documents in the case, on August 1, 2017, Henry and three others, including his co-defendant Deshalone Davis, robbed a wireless cell phone store located at Ridge Road and Calumet Avenue in Munster, Indiana. Two of the robbers brandished guns during the robbery, which took place around 5:00pm when customers and employees were inside the store. Henry drove the vehicle to the store, remained in the vehicle while the others went inside, and acted as the getaway driver.

This case was investigated by the FBI GRIT Task Force in conjunction with Munster, Gary, and Griffith Police Departments and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang.

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SOUTH BEND – Shed Woods, 38 years old, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U. S. Attorney Kirsch.

Woods was sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.

According to documents in the case, in November 2017, Woods possessed a firearm while having been convicted of four prior felonies.  Wood also has two misdemeanor convictions and eleven other contacts with the law. 

This case was investigated by the ATF and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank E. Schaffer.

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HAMMOND – David Larson, 35 years old, of Shelby, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 87 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to knowingly possessing pseudoephedrine knowing it would be used to manufacture methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

According to documents in the case, from 2012 through 2017, Larson purchased a total of 120 grams of pseudoephedrine, with the purchases occurring on 58 separate occasions at 10 different pharmacies in 4 different counties, with Larson knowing the psuedoephedrine would be used in the illegal manufacture of methamphetamine. 

This case was investigated by the DEA, Indiana State Police, Jasper County Sheriff’s Department, and Newton County Sheriff’s Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Nozick and Dean R. Lanter.

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SOUTH BEND – Terron Taylor, 23 years old, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Jon E DeGuilio after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin, announced U. S. Attorney Kirsch.

Taylor was sentenced to 168 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “Drug dealers target areas of cities and towns for drug distribution.  We are targeting them.  As we catch them, we will seek lengthy penalties for spreading poison on our streets.  This case is a prime example of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies working together to combat the drug epidemic.”

According to documents in the case, from March 2017 up to and including October 2017, Taylor conspired with a group of other dealers to distribute over 1 kilogram of heroin to drug customers on the streets of South Bend.  Customers would call a drug phone and order heroin.  Whichever dealer had the phone at the time would arrange to meet with the customer and complete the heroin sale.  The business model was efficient: transactions were quick and without hassle.  All of the heroin was pre-packaged in ½ gram quantities.  The price remained uniform regardless of which dealer showed up to sell.  Investigators conducted numerous controlled purchases by calling the drug phone and ordering heroin.  Investigators met with and identified different dealers, most of which were from Chicago.  On four occasions in September 2017, Taylor was involved in selling heroin to the investigators.  Taylor has a lengthy criminal history that qualifies him as a career offender under the guidelines.    

This case was investigated by the ATF and DEA with assistance from several local law enforcement agencies including the Elkhart Police Department, Indiana State Police, the St. Joseph County Drug Investigations Unit and the St. Joseph County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.    This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joel R. Gabrielse and Molly E. Donnelly.

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SOUTH BEND – Teray Bush, 43 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. after pleading guilty to Interstate Travel in Aid of Racketeering, announced U. S. Attorney Kirsch.

Bush was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.

According to documents in the case, in October 2017, Bush transported almost 2 pounds of methamphetamine from Michigan to Indiana as part of a plan to distribute it.  Bush has four prior felony convictions and two misdemeanor convictions.  He has violated his parole or probation twice and has twelve other contacts with the law.

This case was investigated by the DEA with assistance from the Carmel Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank E. Schaffer.

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HAMMOND – Kirk E. Stroh, 46 years old, of Hobart, Indiana, was sentenced by District Court Judge Joseph S. Van Bokkelen on his plea of guilty to one count of wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.

Stroh was sentenced to 5 months imprisonment followed by 7 months of supervised release. Stroh was ordered to pay $327,438.50 in restitution to the victim, and a $160,000 money judgment forfeiture. 

According to court documents, between July 2012 and March 2015, Stroh helped co-defendant Lucy Owens embezzle over $300,000 from a local freight services company where Owens and Stroh’s wife were employed. At the time, Stroh was employed by a rival trucking company. Stroh used a stolen fuel card, provided by Owens, to obtain over $300,000 in cash advances at fuel stations, which he split evenly with Owens.

Owens, who was convicted by a jury of seven counts of wire fraud in May, is scheduled to be sentenced on November 8, 2018.

This case was investigated by the Hammond Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Abizer Zanzi and Nathaniel Whalen.

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HAMMOND- Carlos Tate, 45, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced before District Court Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen on his plea to distribution of heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

Tate received a sentence of 46 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. 

According to documents filed in this case, in September of 2016, a confidential informant with the ATF performed two controlled buys of heroin from Tate in Gary, Indiana.  Lab results showed that the heroin purchased during the second controlled buy also contained fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is considered to be fifty times more potent than heroin.     

This case was investigated by the ATF and was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. McGrath. 

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FORT WAYNE – Larry Ratliff, 46 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was charged on September 10, 2018 by criminal complaint with one count of bank robbery, announced United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.

According to documents in the case, on August 18, 2018, a lone male entered a Credit Union in Fort Wayne, Indiana threatened the employees inside, then took approximately $10,000 in cash before fleeing in a white pickup truck. That pickup truck was found still running several hours later in the rear of a nearby apartment complex. The pickup truck was owned by an Indianapolis, Indiana construction company and had been stolen from Indianapolis a few days prior to the robbery. Fingerprints belonging to Ratliff were recovered from inside the pickup truck and an employee of the credit union identified Ratliff as the robber.

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.

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.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the Organized Crime and Corruption Unit of Indiana State Police, the Fort Wayne Police Department, and the Allen County Sheriff’s Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.

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HAMMOND –Robert Battle, age 45, of East Chicago, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Philip P. Simon on his guilty plea of discharging a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime, causing death of another person, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

Battle was sentenced to 240 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “Mr. Battle was a drug dealer, while at the same time serving as a public official. He was elected to uphold the law and instead conspired to break it.  Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of his offense and should be a warning to others who want to engage in these type of violent crimes.”

According to documents filed in the case, in or around April 2015 agents began investigating Battle in relation to drug trafficking activities.  During the investigation, agents received information that Reimundo Camarillo was supplying Battle, a sitting East Chicago Councilman, with large quantities of drugs.  In September 2015, agents determined Battle may have had a load of drugs and conducted a traffic stop seizing a quantity of drugs and cash.  Working with agents, Battle then attempted to make a controlled delivery to Camarillo who did not show after Battle’s arrest.  On October 12, 2015 Battle and Camarillo had an argument outside of Battle’s residence where Battle shot Camarillo in the back, killing him.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; East Chicago Police Department; and Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Nozick and Thomas M. McGrath.

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Two Indiana men pleaded guilty to conspiracy and other charges today, in relation to a 2014 scheme to trade in options ahead of SAP SE’s acquisition of Concur Technologies, which netted them hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits.  

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Criminal Investigations Group Inspector in Charge Daniel Adame of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey S. Sallett of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office made the announcement.

Douglas M. Miller, 42, of Dyer, Indiana, and Edward M. Miller, 45, of Munster, Indiana, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Philip P. Simon of the Northern District of Indiana.  Douglas Miller also pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement.  Edward Miller pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice.

According to admissions made in connection with their guilty pleas, Douglas and Edward Miller obtained material, non-public information about SAP’s September 2014 acquisition of Concur from Christopher Salis, a global vice president at SAP.  Douglas and Edward Miller and others then purchased securities in Concur based on this information for the purposes of profiting from these transactions and returning a portion of the profits to Salis.  Following the acquisition, the Millers and their co-conspirators sold the securities and earned hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits. 

The Millers also admitted to taking further steps to conceal their scheme by structuring financial transactions and using “burner” phones to communicate with their co-conspirators.  Upon learning of federal investigations into the insider trading scheme, Edward Miller took steps to hinder and impede the investigation, including by destroying electronic data found on the “burner” phones.  Doug Miller also admitted to lying to federal investigators.

The Millers are the second and third individuals to plead guilty as a result of the investigation into insider trading ahead of SAP’s acquisition of Concur.  In February 2017, Salis pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud in connection to the scheme.   Sentencing for the Millers is scheduled for Jan. 11, 2019.  Salis is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 25, 2019.

The case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Mail Fraud Team and the FBI’s Chicago Field Office.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Chief Justin D. Weitz and Trial Attorney Jennifer L. Farer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.  Trial Attorneys Gary Winters, Jennifer Ballantyne of the Fraud Section and former Fraud Section Trial Attorney L. Rush Atkinson previously worked on this matter.  The Department appreciates the substantial assistance of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Potential victims of the scheme can find information about their rights under relevant law at the following website: https://www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/case/salis-miller-concurtrading

HAMMOND- Ricky Shultz, 47, of Demotte, Indiana, was charged on September 5, 2018 by criminal complaint with one count of possession with intent to distribute fifty grams or more of methamphetamine.

U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “This case is the result of cooperation between local, state and federal authorities.  My office is, and remains committed, to fighting the scourge of drug trafficking and the illegal possession of firearms in all of the counties in our district, rural or urban.” 

According to documents in this case, a search warrant was executed at the residence of Ricky Shultz, a convicted felon, in Demotte, Indiana.  The search resulted in the seizure of almost a quarter kilogram of methamphetamine and 48 firearms.  The documents identify Shultz as a convicted felon who holds a leadership position in the Saxon Knights, a prison-based gang that espouses a white supremacist ideology.

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.

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.

This case was investigated by the DEA, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, the Jasper County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, the Indiana State Police, the Porter County Multi-Enforcement Group and the Newton County Drug Task Force.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Nozick.

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SOUTH BEND – Scott Cripe, 31 years old, of Bristol, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. after pleading guilty of theft of firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U. S. Attorney Kirsch.

Cripe was sentenced to 63 months in prison, 2 years supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $6,435.53.

According to documents in the case, Cripe broke into a federally licensed firearms dealer, in July of 2017. He stole six firearms but was caught by police with one of the stolen firearms less than a day and a half after the theft.  Cripe has prior misdemeanor and felony convictions for offenses including burglary, theft, and operating vehicles while intoxicated.

This case was investigated by the ATF with assistance from the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department, Middlebury Police Department, and South Bend Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Molly E. Donnelly.

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FORT WAYNE – Edgar Moreno-Ramirez, 27, of Mexico City, Mexico, was sentenced before Chief Judge Theresa L. Springmann on his plea of guilty to the charge of possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and more than 1 kilogram of heroin and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking offense, announced U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II. 

Moreno-Ramirez was sentenced to 181 months in prison.

According to documents in this case, from October 1, 2015, Moreno-Ramirez and his co-defendants were operating a drug distribution house while armed, out of a residence in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  

This case was investigated by the DEA, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the ATF, with assistance from the Allen County Drug Task Force as well as the Allen County Sheriff’s  Department.   This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony W. Geller.

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