Southern District of Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS— David Joseph Mull, 52, of North Vernon, Indiana, has been sentenced to four years in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to unlicensed dealing in firearms.   

According to court documents, David Joseph Mull sold hundreds of firearms illegally, without obtaining a proper dealing license. In 2016, Mull was served with a cease-and-desist letter from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), putting him on notice that he needed to obtain a federal firearms license (FFL) in order to engage in the business of selling firearms.

Mull ignored the cease-and-desist letter and instead continued running his unlicensed gun business. He evaded detection by federal law enforcement by primarily purchasing firearms from other private sellers at gun shows across the country for resale, instead of purchasing from FFLs. FFLs are required to generate multiple sales reports when individuals purchase more than one handgun within a five-day period. And if a firearm is later recovered in a crime, the ATF can determine who originally purchased the firearm from an FFL. Private sellers have no such obligation to keep or maintain records.

Mull’s main customer was involved in illegal firearms trafficking across state lines. Firearms the customer purchased from Mull were eventually transported to Mexico. Between 2019 and 2023, Mull sold over 500 firearms, including semiautomatic handguns and AR and AK style rifles, to this main customer, in exchange for approximately $350,000 in cash. According to court documents, Mull knew or had reason to believe that the firearms would be transported from Indianapolis to New York City, and then to Mexico, at the time of sale. 

Additionally, Mull ran a lucrative online firearms business during the same time period, in which he sold approximately 800 firearms to different buyers throughout the United States for a total of $174,142.

“Illegal firearms dealers deliberately bypass background checks and record-keeping laws intended to prevent guns from falling into the wrong hands. We know that diverting firearms from legal markets in the U.S. to illegal markets in Mexico fuels cartel violence and the drug trade—crimes that cross borders and devastate communities,” said John E. Childress, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This sentence underscores our commitment to prosecuting all those involved in gun trafficking networks.”

“Anyone who engages in the business of selling firearms is required to have a license and follow regulations ensuring those firearms are not going to individuals who are prohibited from possessing them,” stated Thomas A. Greco, Acting Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “In this case, the defendant clearly profited from the firearms business without the required license and responsibility to keep our community safe.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey L. Massa, who prosecuted this case.

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INDIANAPOLIS – Jamie M. Powell, a/k/a Jamie Cramer, 44, and Richard Smith, 42, both of Anderson, Indiana, have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to sexually exploit a minor.

Powell has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit the sexual exploitation of a minor as well as actual and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor. Powell must also pay $10,000 in restitution.

Richard Smith has been sentenced to 50 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit the sexual exploitation of a minor and possession of child sexual abuse material. Smith must also pay $10,000 in restitution. His federal sentence was ordered to be served consecutively to his state convictions for Dealing in Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine, and Battery with Bodily Injury to a Public Safety Officer, for which he received concurrent sentences of 16-, 5-, and 4-years imprisonment.

According to court documents, Powell is the mother of five children, including Minor Victim 1, who was between one and two years old at the time of the offense. In early 2020, the Department of Child Services (DCS) filed to terminate Powell’s parental rights. Powell relocated to an apartment in Anderson, with three of her children and her boyfriend, Richard Smith. Powell’s youngest children, Minor Victim 1 and Minor Witness 1 were in DCS Custody.

Between late 2020 and early 2021, Powell and Smith discussed Smith’s sexual interest in Powell’s children and in bestiality over text messages. In those messages, the couple agreed for Powell to molest Minor Victim 1 and produce sexually explicit photos and videos of the child to send to Smith. The messages also contained extremely graphic and crude requests from Smith detailing how he wanted Powell to abuse the minor. 

Throughout this time period, Powell was permitted to have supervised visitation with two of her children, including Minor Victim 1. During these court-ordered visitations, Powell waited until supervisors were not looking to record sexually explicit videos and images of the child, attempting to evade suspicion by pretending to change her diaper. In total, over 25 visits, Powell produced 577 images and videos of child sexual abuse of Minor Victim 1 and shared 486 of them with Smith.

Investigators located over 2,400 image files of child sex abuse material and approximately 170 video files of bestiality on Powell’s cell phone. On Smith’s cell phone, investigators found more than 5,000 images and videos of child sex abuse material.

The Indiana State Police, Pendleton Post, detected and investigated this matter. They were assisted later by the U.S. Secret Service and the Indianapolis Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force. The Indiana Department of Corrections provided valuable assistance. All agencies worked together to rescue the victim. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young.

“Parents and caretakers who violate the sanctity of trust by exploiting their own children, before they are even old enough to walk or speak, are cruel and vile monsters. The pursuit of those who choose to victimize children is some of the most important work our office does,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Jamie Powell and Richard Smith will now spend decades in federal prison where they cannot exploit another child thanks to the dedication and talents of our State Police, federal law enforcement partners, and AUSA.”

“Child sexual exploitation is a heinous crime that will not be tolerated. The idea that the victim in this case was a toddler, abused by a parent, makes it even more vile,” said Special Agent in Charge Ike Barnes, of the Indianapolis Field Office. “The U.S. Secret Service is committed to imposing its full arsenal of investigative resources to help pursue crimes against children and is proud to stand up for defenseless victims. Thank you to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Indiana, the Indiana State Police, and all the law enforcement partners who helped bring justice in this case.”

“I would also like to thank Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany Preston on her commitment to insuring justice for the victim in this case. The Indiana State Police encourages individuals to report any suspected child exploitation crimes to law enforcement,” said Detective Bradley Tucker, of the Indiana State Police Pendleton Post.

Acting U.S Attorney Childress thanked Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted this case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc

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Southern District of Indiana—Last week, three illegal aliens were arrested and charged federally with unlawfully reentering the United States after previously being deported following immigration proceedings. The charges follow an immigration and enforcement removal operation that took place in Evansville and Bloomington, Indiana between April 29 and May 1.

According to court documents, each of the three men are Mexican nationals who illegally returned to the United States and were found by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the Southern District of Indiana. As outlined below, court documents allege that each man had previously been convicted of crimes they committed in the United States, or had charges pending against them, or both.

• Martin Cortez-Lopez, 36, was arrested on April 29 in Bloomington. Cortez-Lopez had previously been convicted in Florida on charges of resisting an officer with violence, possession of a controlled substance, and disorderly intoxication in a public place causing a disturbance. He currently faces charges in Monroe County, Indiana, following two incidents, one resulting in charges of possession of cocaine and operating a vehicle while intoxicated, and the other resulting in charges of possession of cocaine and operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person. He has previously been removed from the United States on at least one occasion.
• Jaime Ortiz-Guzman, 46, was arrested on May 1 in Bloomington. Ortiz-Guzman had previously been convicted in Indiana on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. He currently faces charges in Monroe County, Indiana, for operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury. He has previously been removed from the United States on at least one occasion.
• Amin Reynosa-Diaz, 28, was arrested on April 29 in Evansville. Reynosa-Diaz had previously been convicted in Indiana of domestic battery. He currently faces charges in Hampton County, Virginia, for driving while intoxicated, and is wanted on multiple warrants for failing to appear in court. He has previously been removed from the United States on at least one occasion.

If convicted, each man faces up to between two and ten years in prison.

These charges and arrests are the latest prosecutions of illegal aliens who were found in the Southern District of Indiana after unlawfully re-entering the United States after having been previously deported. Specifically, these prosecutions involve illegal aliens who were previously convicted of crimes they committed in the United States, or who are facing pending charges, or both, for offenses including rape, domestic violence resulting in serious bodily injury, child molestation, burglary, and operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

The following investigative agencies collaborated to make this investigation and recent warrant execution possible:

• Immigration and Customs Enforcement
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Drug Enforcement Administration
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
• Homeland Security Investigations
• U.S. Marshals Service

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Haney, Meredith Wood, Todd S. Shellenbarger, and Matthew B. Miller, who are prosecuting these cases. 

These changes and arrests are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

An indictment or criminal complaint are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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May 7, 2025 – Today, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown.  The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.

“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”

“Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”

"Children are the foundation of our communities. It is not their burden to protect themselves; it is our absolute responsibility as adults to shield them from the egregious predators charged today,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “I commend the exceptional and tireless work of our law enforcement partners and AUSAs Tiffany Preston, Carolyn Haney, Samantha Spiro, and Jeremy Kemper, who are doing their part to execute Operation Restore Justice.” 

“Behind every arrest during Operation Restore Justice was a child who was being exploited – who was suffering in silence,” said FBI Indianapolis Acting Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans. “These crimes are both heartbreaking and deeply disturbing and the FBI remains committed to identifying and investigating these cases and ensuring those who responsible for such heinous acts are held accountable. Our hope is that these children now have a chance to heal and to rebuild their lives in safety, free from fear and surrounded by the care and support they need.”

In the Southern District of Indiana, the following four individuals were arrested and charged with federal crimes:

Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Attempt (4 Counts)

Possession of Child Pornography (2 Counts)

Beau R. Thornburgh, 45, of Lebanon

*Convicted sex offender

Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.

In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.

This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, this effort and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.

The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.

The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.

An indictment or criminal complaint are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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EVANSVILLE— William Virgil Russell, II, 33, of Evansville, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession of sexually explicit material involving minors.   

According to court documents, on April 3, 2023, social media application, Instagram, reported that an account owned by William V. Russell had accessed at least one video suspected of containing child sexual abuse material. The video depicted an adult male attempting to rape a prepubescent minor female.

Working with Instagram to review the account, law enforcement investigators found additional child sexual abuse material, as well as posts by Russell soliciting underage videos that stated, "Looking for freaks with young kids or siblings that need $$” and "Looking for under l2 to buy from hit me up.”

On September 26, 2023, investigators searched Russell’s home in Evansville and recovered his cellphone. Further investigation uncovered 21 sexually explicit images involving minors, as well as numerous chat session transcripts in which Russell describes himself as a pedophile, says he prefers toddlers, and asks women to provide him with nude and sexually explicit images of their children. Russell often offered to pay for the images.

At the time of the offenses described above, Russell was a registered sex offender based on a felony conviction for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material in Warrick County, Indiana. Following his release, Russell must continue to remain registered as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school.

“Every parent should know that social media apps like Instagram are not safe spaces for young children and are often hunting grounds for predators who seek gratification from their exploitation,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “I commend the investigators with FBI, Evansville PD, and the efforts of our AUSA for working together to ensure more vulnerable individuals are not victimized.”

The FBI and Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood

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INDIANAPOLIS— Gabriel Whitley, 27, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to three months in federal prison followed by one year of supervised release after pleading guilty to making materially false statements to the Federal Election Commission.

According to court documents, during the 2024 primary election, Gabriel Whitley was a candidate for United States Congress in Indiana’s 7th Congressional District. Whitley did not win the primary election, which was held on May 7, 2024. As set forth below in more detail, rather than raise funds in the normal course for his campaign, Whitley fabricated contributions that he had received and falsely reported to the Federal Election Commission (“FEC”) that he had in fact received those contributions. Whitley knew the FEC filings were riddled with falsehoods, and in making those fraudulent statements, deceived the American public about his candidacy.

As set forth in Court documents, on October 11, 2023, Whitley, acting as Treasurer for his principal campaign committee, “Honest Gabe for Congress,” filed a report with the FEC covering the period from July 1, 2023, to September 30, 2023. In that report, Whitley lied and falsely documented that 67 people, not including himself, made contributions to his campaign, totaling approximately $222,690. These reports included made-up names, occupations, employers, and addresses for multiple fictitious contributors.

On January 31, 2024, Whitley, again acting as Treasurer for his campaign committee, filed another report with the FEC repeating the same scheme he had engaged in previously, lying and falsely reporting contributions that he knew he had never received.

Finally, on April 15, 2024, Whitley filed yet another false report with the FEC. In that report, he lied again and falsely conveyed that he loaned his campaign $100,000 on March 7, 2024, while knowing that he had not in fact loaned his campaign this money and did not have the funds to do so.

In total, approximately $234,000 of the purported contributions to Honest Gabe for Congress never occurred.

“Gabriel Whitley intentionally created an illusion that he was a legitimate candidate for office with the financial support of the electorate, denying the public of its most powerful tool for casting informed ballots: transparency,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Federal election laws require all federal candidates to make a true, accurate accounting of the contributions they have received, so that citizens can properly choose their own leaders. This sentence should reassure the public of our government’s ability to police and punish conduct that corrupts elections and denies the public the right to cast informed votes.”

“When you are a candidate for public office, you have the same responsibility to follow the law just like the people you seek to represent,” said FBI Indianapolis Acting Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans. “This wasn’t a mistake by Mr. Whitley - it was a deliberate effort to deceive the public by violating campaign finance laws for his own gain. The FBI remains committed to investigating those who violate public trust and ensure they are held accountable.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany J. Preston and Trial Attorney of the Public Integrity of the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice, Nicole Lockhart, who prosecuted this case, with substantial assistance from former PIN Trial Attorney Jacob Steiner

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INDIANAPOLIS— Christina Moles, a/k/a Tina Lashley, 50, of Redkey, Indiana has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to wire fraud and aiding and assisting the making of a false federal income tax return. Moles has also been ordered to pay $567,010 in restitution.

According to court documents, between 2015 and 2021, Christina Moles executed a tax fraud scheme in which she falsified 382 federal income tax returns for numerous clients without their knowledge. During this time, Moles was a tax return preparer and frequently attracted customers by advertising that her business would guarantee large refunds. Many of Moles’ customers received between $5,000-$10,000 in refunds despite having modest incomes.

To increase the amount of refunds her clients would receive, Moles falsely stated that her clients qualified for the American Opportunity Tax Credit (“AOTC”). The AOTC is a credit for qualified education expenses paid for an eligible student for the first four years of higher education. Taxpayers can get a maximum annual credit of $2,500 per eligible student. To be eligible to claim the AOTC, a taxpayer (or a dependent) must have received a Form 1098-T, Tuition Statement, from an eligible educational institution.

For these false tax returns, Moles claimed that her clients incurred educational expenses to either Ivy Tech or Penn Foster online college. In reality, none of these clients had any education expenses and did not attend Ivy Tech or Penn Foster. In addition, neither institution provided a Form 1098-T, Tuition Statement, which Moles would have needed to claim qualified educational expenses for her clients.

The defendant’s clients received tax credits to which they were not entitled, and therefore the IRS provided them with larger tax refunds than they should have.

As a result of this scheme, Moles’ clients received tax credits to which they were not entitled, causing a loss to the Internal Revenue Service of approximately $567,010.

“Due to the defendant’s deceit, the United States lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in unjustified refunds. Even more troubling, her unsuspecting customers faced the threat of audits and the repayment of thousands of dollars they wrongly received, all because they trusted her business practices,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Filing or preparing false tax returns is a serious offense that deprives the government of vital revenue for public services, and today’s sentence serves as a strong warning to anyone considering engaging in such fraudulent activity.”

“Christina Moles exploited a tax credit designed to ease the burden of higher education—twisting it into a tool for fraud,” said Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “Her deceit didn’t just cheat the system; it undermined a benefit intended to help families invest in their futures. When trust is traded for profit, everyone pays the price.”

“As postal inspectors, it is our mission to investigate criminal matters involving the integrity and security of the U.S. Postal Service. Our partnership with IRS-CI is one of many ways we are able to do that,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Sean McStravick. “I am proud of the work in this case by both agencies, which led to the successful prosecution of an individual who violated the law, and her clients’ trust, hundreds of times, and cost taxpayers over half a million dollars in misallocated funds.”

IRS-CI and USPIS investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Eakman, who prosecuted this case.

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TERRE HAUTE— Joshua T. Mebane, 29, of Silver Spring, Maryland, has been sentenced to life in federal prison for first degree murder. Mebane previously pled guilty in open court on October 23, 2024. 

According to court documents, in January of 2016, Joshua Mebane was an inmate at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana, serving a 45-year sentence for first degree murder in the District of Columbia. Mebane was also later convicted of murder and attempted murder in Maryland, committed in 2012, for which he received multiple life sentences.   

On January 26, 2016, inmate Michael Tucker moved into Mebane’s cell. Just two days later, correctional officers went to retrieve Mebane for a medical appointment and called for both inmates to be present at the cell door. According to policy, all inmates in the cell must be handcuffed before opening. As the officers again called for Tucker to be handcuffed, Mebane admitted “My cellie (cell mate) is dead… I killed my cellie on Wednesday.”

Officers entered the cell to investigate and found Michael Tucker lying face-up in the bottom bunk bed, covered by a blanket. His body was cold to the touch and without a pulse. Life saving measures were initiated by medics but were unsuccessful.

The medical examiner ruled the official cause of death to be asphyxiation and determined the manner of death as homicide.

“The FBI is committed to ensuring the rights and dignity of every victim – no matter where the crimes occur. This kind of violence is inexcusable, and the sentence should serve as a powerful reminder there is no place in our society for such hate,” said FBI Indianapolis Acting Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold offenders accountable and send a clear message that the protection of all individuals from hate-driven violence remains a top priority.”

"Today's sentencing sends a clear message - those who threaten or harm others will be held accountable. The safety and security of our facilities will always be the FBOP’s top priority in our mission to ensure public safety,” said a BOP Spokesperson.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Prisons investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney II. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle M. Sawa and Meredith Wood, who prosecuted this case.

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INDIANAPOLIS— Juan Morales, 49, of Mexico, has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison followed by one year of supervised release after pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien after deportation.  

According to court documents, on November 6, 2024, Morales was convicted of operating a motor vehicle without ever receiving a license. Further investigation revealed that Morales had been removed from the United States on two separate occasions in 2007 and 2018.

Morales has a lengthy criminal history, including two previous federal convictions for illegal reentry, as well as two convictions in Indiana and Illinois for dealing cocaine and methamphetamine.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany J. Preston and Samantha Spiro, who prosecuted this case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN)

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INDIANAPOLIS— Belarmino Sierra-Mata, 47, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to attempted possession with intent to distribute 500 grams of more of methamphetamine and reentry of a removed alien. 

According to the indictment, on March 18, 2024, after receiving a text message from his girlfriend alerting him to a package’s arrival at her Indianapolis home, Sierra-Mata drove there to retrieve it. The package was shipped from California and contained approximately 1.8 kilograms of pure methamphetamine. After picking it up, Sierra-Mata delivered the entire package to another individual in exchange for $300 from the original supplier.

During an interview with law enforcement agents following his arrest, Sierra-Mata stated that his source of supply was an individual in Mexico and that this was his second time accepting a package containing controlled substances for payment.

Additionally, further investigation determined that Sierra-Mata is an illegal alien unlawfully present in the United States. Specifically, Sierra-Mata was formally removed from the United States on January 11, 2019, and knowingly reentered the country without obtaining proper documentation.

Homeland Security Investigations and Indiana State Police investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Cristina Caraballo-Colon and former AUSA Jordan Oliver, who prosecuted this case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN)

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INDIANAPOLIS— On April 10, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana recognized 22 members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies at a private ceremony. The ceremony honored professionals who have gone above and beyond to advocate for the rights and well-being of crime victims, and have demonstrated exceptional commitment to supporting survivors, raising awareness, and driving positive change in their communities.

“This ceremony is a small token of our appreciation for the selfless dedication of those working tirelessly to ensure victims' voices are heard, guiding them through the often-complex federal criminal justice process, and providing critical resources and emotional support,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Their work reflects the power of compassion, resilience, and advocacy in making a tangible difference in the lives of those affected by trauma and injustice.”

The categories and honorees are listed as follows:

Federal Law Enforcement Victim Assistance Award recognizes the recipient’s commitment to ensuring victims' rights are upheld, providing them with compassionate support throughout investigations, and working to ensure they receive necessary resources and assistance. The recipient of this award demonstrates exceptional dedication to both the investigative process and the well-being of victims, working tirelessly to navigate the complex legal landscape while offering empathy and advocacy. It highlights their key role in bridging the gap between law enforcement and victims, helping to secure justice and support in the aftermath of crime.

Awarded to:

• Vanessa Hassler, Special Agent, FBI
• Russell Warlick, Special Agent, FBI

Victim Advocate Award honors the tireless efforts of victim advocates who work on the front lines, offering emotional support, resources, and guidance to those affected by trauma. Whether providing advocacy during legal proceedings, connecting victims with necessary services, or ensuring their voices are heard, the recipient of this award goes above and beyond to ensure that victims' rights are upheld, and their well-being is prioritized.

Awarded to:

• Suzanne O’Malley, Project Manager, Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence
• Linda Crocheron, Victim Advocate Administrator, Marion County Prosecutor’s Office
• Jessica Zotz, Victim Specialist, FBI

Assistant United States Attorney Victim Assistance Award honors the outstanding efforts of an AUSA in providing exceptional support and advocacy for victims throughout the federal legal process. This prestigious award recognizes a deep understanding of the emotional and psychological challenges faced by victims, going above and beyond their legal duties to offer guidance, support, and resources. This distinction highlights the integral role AUSAs play in balancing the pursuit of justice with the compassionate treatment of victims.

Awarded to:

• Jayson W. McGrath, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana
• Peter A. Blackett, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana

Support Professional Victim Assistance Award recognizes exceptional contributions to supporting victims of crime throughout the legal process, particularly in cases involving trauma or violence. This award honors the recipient’s dedication to managing the logistical and administrative aspects of cases, while also offering emotional support and compassion to victims during often difficult and overwhelming legal proceedings.

Awarded to:

• Sarah Helbig, Paralegal Specialist, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana.
• Natoyia Sims, Financial Litigation Paralegal Specialist, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana.

Victim Assistance Trial Team Award recognizes the exceptional collaboration and dedication of a team working to support victims throughout the trial process. This award honors the collective efforts of law enforcement, legal professionals, victim advocates, and support staff who work together to ensure victims are informed, supported, and treated with dignity during legal proceedings. The recipients of this award have demonstrated outstanding teamwork in navigating the complexities of criminal trials, while prioritizing the needs and well-being of victims.

Awarded to:

U.S. v. Demetris Campbell

• Tiffany J. Preston, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana
• Carolyn Haney, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana
• Lawrence D. Hilton, Former Assistant U.S. Attorney
• Len Rothermich, Special Agent, FBI
• Austin Sahly, Special Agent, FBI
• Kayla Whitaker, Paralegal Specialist
• Maurine Bwambok, Victim Witness Specialist
• Matthew Pankonie, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department

U.S. v. Angela Baldwin

• Kathryn Olivier, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana
• Bradley Shepard, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana
• Andrew Willmann, Special Agent, FBI
• Sarah Helbig, Paralegal Specialist
• Kathy Well, Systems Manager

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INDIANAPOLIS— A federal jury has found Joshua W. Stearman, 42, of Anderson, Indiana, guilty of unlawfully possessing incendiary bombs, commonly referred to as Molotov cocktails, and falsely impersonating an officer or employee of the United States.

According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, on December 12, 2023, at approximately 1:47 a.m., a police officer in Ingalls, Indiana, was dispatched to an address that had recently been vandalized multiple times, including with fires set in the driveway and inside the mailbox at that address. Dispatch received a report of a suspicious man walking toward the house carrying something but who ran back to his red Toyota RAV4 when the house’s security lights came on.

The officer located the RAV4 and pulled it over. As the officer approached, Stearman pressed against the window his ID as well as an unknown government identification that included a government seal at the bottom. Repeatedly, Stearman claimed he was a Homeland Security Officer returning from a “mission.” Stearman was wearing black gloves with black duct tape around his wrists.

Eventually, Stearman exited the vehicle and was placed in custody. Inside the vehicle, officers found four bottles containing a yellow-brown liquid that gave off an odor of fuel, as well as what appeared to be small pieces of wood or kindling inside of them. All four had a piece of cloth or fabric sticking out from under the cap. Officers also found a lighter in the vehicle.

During the trial, experts from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) testified about their analysis of the four bottles. An ATF Forensic Chemist testified that she had analyzed the liquid inside the bottles, and each was found to contain gasoline. Then, an ATF Destructive Device Examiner testified how each of the bottles was designed to be used as an incendiary bomb: The wick is ignited by an open flame and the device is thrown against a surface, with the intent that the ignitable liquid and wooden sticks inside will spread fire to a combustible surface against which it was thrown.  Incendiary bombs, commonly known as Molotov cocktails, are a type of destructive device that is generally unlawful to possess under federal law.

The ATF and Ingalls Police Department investigated this case, with valuable assistance provided by Lapel, Indiana Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security. Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt presided over the trial and will sentence Stearman at a later date.

Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayson W. McGrath and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nate Walter, who are prosecuting this case.

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EVANSVILLE— Marquell T. Lockridge, 26, of Evansville, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to illegal possession of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance.

According to court documents, on November 1, 2024, at approximately 3:51 a.m., officers with the Evansville Police Department were dispatched to a Circle K gas station on a report of a disturbance in the parking lot. When officers arrived on scene, a woman in the parking lot claimed that Marquell Lockridge had pulled out a gun and pointed it at her. 

Lockridge saw the officers walk toward him to investigate and jumped into his vehicle to flee the scene. However, he was unable to shift the car into drive. Officers commanded Lockridge to step out of the car. He eventually exited the vehicle, but then began running on foot and was quickly tased and arrested. 

While officers were applying the handcuffs, Lockridge admitted that he had a loaded gun inside the front of his underwear. During a search of his person, officers located a plastic corner bag containing Oxycodone pills and approximately $20,227 in cash.

Lockridge has been previously convicted of multiple crimes, including misdemeanor domestic battery in 2019, felony pointing a firearm at another in 2019, and felony theft of a firearm in 2022. These prior felony convictions prohibit him from ever legally possessing a firearm again.

“Illegally armed felons are a preventable source of the gun violence that threatens our neighborhoods and takes far too many lives,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “A successful return to the community from prison requires compliance with the law, including never again possessing a gun. I commend the ATF and Evansville Police Department for keeping the community safe by getting this felon off the streets.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Miller, who prosecuted this case.

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INDIANAPOLIS— Moises Bojorquez, 29, of Richmond, Indiana, has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child, distribution of child sexual abuse material, and possession of matter containing child sexual abuse material.

According to court documents, Bojorquez sexually abused a prepubescent relative, who was in his care and custody.  In several instances, Bojorquez live chatted the sexual abuse.  In other instances, Bojorquez recorded the sexual abuse and sent it to a woman via Telegram, an encrypted, cloud-based instant messaging service. 

Bojorquez and the woman engaged in a months-long conversation via Telegram in which they described their shared sexual interest in children.  Bojorquez also shared other child sex abuse material with the same woman via Telegram and with others via email.  Investigators located more than 1,000 images and videos on Bojorquez’s two cell phones, some of which depicted infants or toddlers engaged in sexually explicit conduct and sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence.

“No child should suffer sexual abuse,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This predator cruelly exploited an innocent child to satisfy his criminal sexual desires with other likeminded predators. Thanks to the efforts of law enforcement officers, this defendant will now spend 40 years in federal prison, where he cannot sexually abuse another child.”

“This case is a sobering reminder of the depths of pravity some individuals will go to exploit the most innocent among us,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Chicago Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino. “HSI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to identifying and bringing to justice those who prey on children. We will continue to use every available resource to protect the innocent and disrupt the networks that facilitate these horrific crimes.”

“The Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force remains vigilant and committed to working with its local and federal partners to protect society’s most vulnerable to sexual exploitation: our children. Caretakers, parents, and others in positions of trust who fail in their duty to protect children but instead seek to sexually exploit them for their own selfish and devious reasons will be identified, investigated, and prosecuted,” said Christopher D. Cecil, Commander of Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Homeland Security Investigations and members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, including Indiana State Police, Richmond Police Department, and Plainfield Police Department, investigated this case, with assistance from the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meredith Wood and Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted this case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood

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INDIANAPOLIS— Five defendants have been sentenced to a total of 70 years in federal prison for their roles in a large methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl trafficking conspiracy. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. The defendants plead guilty and were sentenced as follows:

According to court documents, between May and November of 2022, Jamarr Hill, Lance McGee, Terry Hill, and others conspired together to distribute controlled substances including cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl.

Jamarr Hill acted as the ringleader for the conspiracy, obtaining large quantities of drugs from Rodolfo Silva in San Diego, California for redistribution in Muncie. Terry Hill and Lance McGee served as distributors, dealing the drugs into communities in Muncie and elsewhere in central Indiana.

On November 12, 2022, Nakevius Shannon purchased two firearms from Rural King, a federally licensed firearms dealer, completing an ATF Form 4473 in connection with the purchase. At the time Shannon completed the Form 4473, he falsely stated on the form that he was the intended transferee/buyer of handguns, when in fact, he purchased the firearms for Jamar Hill in order to further Hill’s drug trafficking conspiracy.

In total, the defendants obtained and distributed no less than 2,004 grams of fentanyl, 10 kilograms of cocaine, and 203 pounds of methamphetamine.

As part of the investigation, two other defendants were charged and have been sentenced. Joseph Haskins, of Muncie, Indiana, was charged in August 2021 with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. After a two-day trial in December 2023, Haskins was sentenced as a career offender to 33 years’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release. Rodolfo Silva was charged in 2024 in the Southern District of California with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Silva plead guilty and was sentenced to 17 years’ and 6 months’ imprisonment.

“Drug traffickers like these defendants, responsible for pushing poison from across the country into our neighborhoods, must be held accountable for the suffering they cause in search of quick profits,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. This case is an outstanding example of the impact we can have with the help of our state and local law enforcement partners. I commend the efforts of the FBI, and the Muncie and Anderson Police Departments to make our communities safer by getting drugs and drug dealers off our streets.”

“This is a significant victory in the ongoing efforts to target and dismantle drug trafficking organizations that send a flow of illegal drugs into our communities and threaten public safety,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure every available resource is used to disrupt these criminal enterprises and hold those responsible accountable.”

The FBI, IRS, Muncie Police Department, Anderson Police Department, and Fishers Police Department investigated this case. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsay Karwoski and Barry Glickman, who prosecuted this case.

This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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INDIANAPOLIS— 14 individuals have been charged in a federal indictment alleging a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine in Indianapolis, Lafayette, and surrounding communities. The charges follow a successful law enforcement operation in which 13 total individuals have been arrested and are in federal custody. Eight individuals were arrested on March 21, 2025. The following lists the individuals indicted and the charges they face:

• Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
• Kidnapping
• Carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime
• Accessory to a crime after the fact
• Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

• Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
• Carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
• Distribution of methamphetamine
• Possession of a machinegun
• Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

• Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
• Carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
• Causing Death by Using a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime
• Possessing, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime

• Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
• Retaliating against a witness
• Use of fire or explosives
• Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

• Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
• Unlawful use of a cell phone

• Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
• Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

• Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
• Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute

• Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
• Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

• Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
• Unlawful use of a cell phone

• Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances

• Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances

• Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances

• Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances

• Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances

This was a multi-agency operation, involving ten agencies who assisted with the investigation and the arrests on the morning of March 21, 2025. Law enforcement has asked the public for assistance in locating fugitive Lamar T. Browning. He should be considered armed and dangerous. Those with information are asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

According to the indictment, all 14 defendants allegedly operated a drug trafficking conspiracy, selling meth, fentanyl, cocaine and heroin out of several trap houses in Indianapolis.

Some members of the conspiracy allegedly committed multiple acts of violence, including murder, firing gunshots, throwing Molotov cocktails at a home, kidnapping, and pistol-whipping in order to intimidate drug customers and rival drug dealers The violence was used as a tool to collect money owed to them by their drug customers, to protect the locations that they used to distribute drugs, and to retaliate against potential witnesses.

Specifically, Nahamani Sargent allegedly fired gunshots and threw Molotov cocktails at the home of a customer, believing that the victim had provided information about the conspiracy to law enforcement.

Additionally, Tanesha Turner allegedly kidnapped a victim at gunpoint and held them for ransom because they owed $40. Tre Dunn then allegedly shot the same victim for owing money and providing information to law enforcement.

Tre Dunn also allegedly aided and abetted the murder of a man because he disrespected him and his associate during a failed drug deal. Tanesha Turner then allegedly aided Dunn by driving him to another location following the murder to prevent his arrest.

If convicted, each defendant faces up to life in federal prison.

The following investigative agencies collaborated to make this investigation and recent warrant execution possible:

• Federal Bureau of Investigation (Indianapolis, Chicago, and Cincinnati SWAT)
• Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, SWAT
• Fishers Police Department, SWAT
• Drug Enforcement Administration
• United States Department of Agriculture
• Indiana Capitol Police Department
• Indiana Department of Homeland Security
• Johnson County Sheriff’s Department

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley A. Blackington and Kelsey Massa, who are prosecuting this case.

This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This operation is part of the Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program.

An indictment or criminal complaint are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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INDIANAPOLIS— Pedro Zuniga-Lopez, 35, of Mexico, has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to illegal reentry of an alien after deportation.

According to court documents, on September 19, 2024, Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deportation Officers were notified by the Indiana Department of Corrections that Pedro Zuniga-Lopez, an illegal alien, was in custody following a conviction for domestic battery with bodily injury to a pregnant woman and scheduled to be released on October 22, 2024.

Zuniga-Lopez had previously been deported to Mexico several times, including once in 2018 and twice in 2020. He was prohibited from entering the United States at any time because he had been convicted of at least one aggravated felony. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, aliens found guilty of certain crimes may be excluded from legal reentry to the country.

Zuniga-Lopez has a lengthy criminal history, including two previous federal convictions for illegal reentry, as well as two convictions for breaking and entering, and domestic battery with bodily injury to a pregnant woman.

Most recently, in 2024, while in the United States unlawfully, Zuniga-Lopez viciously assaulted his own girlfriend, who was pregnant with his child, after she stated she did not want his drugs in her home. He swung at her face with closed fists and continued to punch her after she fell to the ground.  The victim’s three young children witnessed the attack and screamed “hey mommy, stop!” The day after the victim made this report to police, Zuniga-Lopez broke a window to her home and forced himself inside. He then fled from police before he was arrested. Zuniga-Lopez was convicted and sentenced in Marion County for this offense.

“While in the United States unlawfully, this defendant has repeatedly broken the law, demonstrating time and time again a fundamental lack of respect for this country” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Additionally, this defendant is a proven menace to society, including toward some of the most vulnerable individuals in our community—women and children. Our office is committed to working with our ICE partners to charge and convict aliens that illegally re-enter the country, especially if they are a risk to public safety.”

“Our ICE Officers work tirelessly to protect the homeland through our efforts with border security, national security and our drive to keep the public safe,” said ERO Chicago’s Assistant Field Office Director Douglas Thompson. “Criminal aliens that continue to cross into our country need to face consequences to discourage them committing crimes that endanger our communities. We will continue to work with our federal partners at the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute violent felons like Zuniga-Lopez, who has multiple convictions and removals from the U.S.”

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Wood, who prosecuted this case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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EVANSVILLE— Marcie Jean Doty, 47, of Evansville, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to wire fraud, failure to file tax returns, and filing false tax returns. Doty has also been ordered to pay $2,517,343.05 in restitution.

According to court documents, Doty was employed as an Operations Manager for a property management business located in Evansville, Indiana. Between May 2017 and June 2022, Doty ran a five-year wire fraud scheme, stealing approximately $1,803,466.38 from her employer via unauthorized checks and Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) transfers.

During this five-year period, Doty executed 99 unauthorized ACH transfers, totaling $503,151.59 and wrote 279 unauthorized checks to herself, totaling $1,300,314.79. The funds were transferred from her employer’s bank accounts to her personal bank accounts.

In an effort to conceal the unauthorized checks, Doty entered false information in the business accounting software, representing that the checks were written to her employer instead of herself. These false entries made it appear as if the business’s funds were being moved from one account to another for a legitimate business purpose.

In January 2017, Doty agreed to purchase a 25% equity share in her employer’s business. Doty used some of the money she stole via the wire fraud scheme to make payments towards her purchase of the 25% equity share.

Additionally, for tax years 2018 through 2020, Doty willfully failed to report the income derived from her fraud scheme on those returns, as required by law. In so doing, she willfully failed to report approximately $786,280.70 in income. The returns were therefore false.

Finally, Doty failed to file tax returns for tax years 2021 and 2022. In so doing, she willfully failed to report approximately $1,006,983.84 in income.

“Through the defendant’s egregious scheme, she used her position of trust to lie, cheat, and steal from her employer and the government- helping herself to millions and cooking the books to hide the evidence,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Fraud and embezzlement can have devastating effects on both individual victims and companies. The federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that those who commit financial crimes will pay a serious price.”

“The brazen fraud uncovered in this case is staggering and had serious consequences for those victimized by the defendant’s deceitful scheme.” said Special Agent in Charge Ike Barnes of the U.S. Secret Service Indianapolis Field Office. “I applaud the Internal Revenue Service, Evansville Police Department, U.S. Attorney’s Office and U.S. Secret Service personnel for their hard work and determination in securing the sentence imposed in this case.”

“Marcie Doty defrauded her employer for five years and now she will spend five years considering the consequences of her actions,” said Ramsey E. Covington, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Office of IRS-Criminal Investigation. “In addition to harming her employer, Ms. Doty also evaded taxes she should have paid to the government. IRS-CI and our partners are committed to finding and prosecuting financial crimes in all forms.”

The U.S. Secret Service, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Miller, who prosecuted this case.

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EVANSVILLE— Mikeal Luckett, 51, of Evansville, has been sentenced to 211 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute MDMA, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to court documents, on June 13, 2023, law enforcement officers conducted a search of Luckett’s Evansville home. Officers found a loaded stolen Taurus G2C 9mm pistol, approximately 26.2 grams of MDMA, approximately 6.4 grams of pure methamphetamine, digital scales, and $10,286 in cash. The pistol and MDMA were hidden together in an opening above the duct work in Luckett’s basement. Officers also found $1,530 in Luckett’s pockets.

In 2012, Luckett was convicted of felony Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine in federal court in Kentucky and was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Luckett was on federal supervised release at the time of this most recent incident.

Luckett had been previously convicted of several violent offenses, including assault and aggravated assault.

“Drug dealers like this defendant peddle deadly substances with utter disregard for human life, seeing only dollar signs and not the faces of the many loved ones that have been lost to overdoses and drug abuse,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This prosecution and sentence demonstrate that our office will continue to work alongside DEA, ATF and local Drug Task Forces to ensure the most dangerous reoffenders are held accountable.”

“There is no place in our community for those who spread pain and destruction through the distribution of illegal drugs. That disregard for human life is compounded when firearms are used to threaten violence to protect their illegal business,” stated Thomas A. Greco, Acting Special Agent in Charge for ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “ATF will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to bring offenders like the defendant to justice and make our communities safer for everyone.”

“Individuals, especially repeat offenders like Mr. Luckett, who are on probation, and recklessly distribute poisonous drugs in our communities must be held accountable for their actions,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Gannon. “DEA commends the outstanding work being conducted by our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office, in combating dangerous criminals.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Miller who prosecuted this case.

This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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INDIANAPOLIS— George Sisk., 47, of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been sentenced to 13 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to interference with commerce by robbery, discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and illegal possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, on March 26, 2020, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) responded to the Community Spirits Liquor Store located on MLK Street, after a robbery had been reported. The robber, who was later identified as George Sisk, walked into the store, grabbed alcohol, and attempted to leave without paying. When one of the store employees noticed Sisk was stealing, he locked the store’s doors to prohibit Sisk from exiting.

Once Sisk realized that he was locked in the store, he went behind the counter and demanded the employee open the door. He then pulled a gun from his pants and fired one shot, striking the employee in the leg at close range. The employee opened the door and Sisk escaped, taking a bottle of Patron tequila with him. Sisk also fired a second shot before leaving.

That evening, Sisk was arrested, and a warrant was obtained to search the home where he lived with his mother. During the search, IMPD officers located a gun under Sisk’s mattress and the clothing that he was wearing during the robbery.

Sisk had been previously convicted of multiple felonies including two separate convictions for Dealing in Narcotic Drugs. These felony convictions prohibit him from ever legally possessing a firearm again.

“We repeat this notion time after time; everyone deserves to feel safe at their place of work,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Sisk felt it was necessary to shoot an innocent victim standing in the way of just one bottle of alcohol. This kind of reckless behavior with no regard for the safety of human life is a threat to our entire community and deserves the serious federal prison sentence imposed today.”

"The defendant’s actions created fear and endangerment in a place where people should feel safe. His actions demonstrated a complete disregard for the law and the community,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring public safety and holding career criminals accountable for their violent actions.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigations and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter A. Blackett and Corbin Houston, who prosecuted this case.

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INDIANAPOLIS— Frank Lassen Garay, 45, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 46 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to bank fraud.

According to court documents, over a period of a little more than two weeks in November and December of 2022, Garay passed fifteen fraudulent checks, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of vehicles and jewelry.

In the fall of 2022, Frank Garay received a settlement check for $15,066.95 from a law firm. This check was for the proceeds from a legal dispute that had been settled. On November 3, 2022, Garay visited a bank and presented the $15,066.95 check to the bank for payment. In standard practice, the bank provided $10,000 in cash and issued a cashier’s check for the remaining $5,066.95. Using the banking information found on these checks, more than a dozen fraudulent checks were created. Garay then used fraudulent checks to purchase services, vehicles, and jewelry as follows:

During each vehicle purchase, Garay did not attempt to hide his identity, using his real driver’s license, signature and fingerprints to close the deals. In one case, Garay even took a picture with his new truck in front of the dealership. In almost all instances, the companies realized the checks were fraudulent only after Garay had already left the lot with the vehicle.

Garay has been passing fake checks, stealing vehicles, and defrauding victims for over 15 years. He has amassed convictions for theft, receiving stolen property, fraud and theft of property by deception, and six counts of forgery. He has defrauded coworkers, employers, banks and businesses out of thousands of dollars.

“In less than a month, Garay went on a buying spree that would put even the most brazen car thief to shame,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Complex economic crimes such as these devastate the finances and security of businesses and individuals. The serious prison sentence imposed today demonstrates that this U.S. Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Secret Service, and all our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to hold these criminals accountable.”

“Financial fraud, like what was found in this case, does more than chip away at our nation’s financial infrastructure. It has real-life victims, and these law-abiding citizens were defrauded of thousands of dollars,” said Special Agent in Charge Ike Barnes of the U.S. Secret Service Indianapolis Field Office. “I commend the work of everyone who investigated this case and brought the defendant to justice. I also thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, and all our law enforcement partners for their fine work in this case.”

The U.S. Secret Service investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Eakman, who prosecuted this case.

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INDIANAPOLIS— Brandon Lee, 35, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In July of 2024, a federal jury found Lee guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon following a two-day trial.

According to court documents, on April 26, 2023, at approximately 10:00 pm, Lee stole a 2014 gray Honda Accord that was parked near a food truck, when the car’s owner was busy ordering food. Lee fled 45 minutes to Cumberland, Indiana. 

At approximately 10:55 pm, officers with the Cumberland Police Department located the stolen Honda in an apartment complex parking lot with Lee standing next to it. When Lee saw the officers approaching him, he fired a shot from a semiautomatic pistol into the air and then fled on foot.

Following a brief chase through a nearby neighborhood, Lee attempted to jump a wooden privacy fence and was then taken into custody. During a search of his person incident to arrest, officers located the keys to the stolen Honda Accord in his front pants pocket.

Officers found Lee’s gun the next day in the bed of a pickup truck that had been parked in the apartment complex parking lot the night before. DNA analysis linked Lee to that firearm.

Lee has been a convicted felon since 2010, amassing convictions for illegally possessing a firearm, theft and battery, and resisting law enforcement. These previous felony convictions prohibit Lee from ever legally possessing a firearm again.

“This defendant’s reckless use of a firearm endangered officers and innocent bystanders in their own backyards. I hope this sentence will bring comfort to our citizens and those impacted knowing that Mr. Lee is behind bars and not free to terrorize others,” said John E. Childress, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that there is no place in society for these violent crimes and that we are deeply committed to working closely with our federal, state and local partners to reduce gun violence in Indianapolis.”

“This sentence underscores the serious consequences for those who engage in violent and dangerous behavior that puts the community at risk,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, is committed to ensuring those who jeopardize public safety will be held accountable.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigations, IMPD, and Cumberland Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey L. Massa and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy C. Fugate, who prosecuted this case.

This case is 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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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EVANSVILLE— Argelius C. Croft, 37, of Greenville, South Carolina, has been sentenced to 100 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to court documents, on January 27, 2023, Evansville Police Department officers questioned Croft at the Evansville Greyhound Bus Station after learning that he had an active arrest warrant out of South Carolina for a pending criminal charge. When confronted, Croft provided false information about his identity to the officers and ran away from the bus station on foot carrying his backpack. After a brief foot chase, Croft fell and was arrested by EPD officers.

During a search of his person, officers found a Ruger.22 Charger rifle with a partially obliterated serial number and a Ruger BX- 25 double-stack magazine loaded with 47 rounds inside of Croft’s backpack. When the officers found the firearm, Croft asked them to forget about it and just throw the gun in the river.

At the time of his arrest, Croft had been convicted of numerous felonies including burglary, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and domestic violence. These prior felony convictions prohibit Croft from ever legally possessing a firearm again.

“Deadly weapons in the hands of violent criminals fuel the shootings and deaths that have devastating impacts on our families,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This sentence should send a clear message to those who ignore their prohibition- if you choose to pick up a gun, you face a serious term in federal prison.”

“ATF’s core mission is to identify, pursue, and perfect criminal cases against individuals who unlawfully possess or use firearms in furtherance of criminal activity,” stated Acting ATF Columbus Field Division Special Agent in Charge Thomas A. Greco. “We will continue to work shoulder to shoulder with our law enforcement partners to ensure anyone who commits violence in our communities is held accountable for their actions.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.

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INDIANAPOLIS— Rebecca Fields, 70, of Kokomo, has been sentenced to three years’ probation after pleading guilty to making a false statement to illegally receive Social Security benefits. Fields has also been ordered to pay $231,203.10 in restitution.

According to court documents, beginning around July 1985, Rebecca Fields’ husband, “L.F.” began receiving Social Security retirement benefits. On December 4, 2002, Rebecca requested to be added as L.F.’s representative payee, which the Social Security Administration (SSA) ultimately approved.

When a qualified retirement beneficiary lacks the capacity to manage his or her own benefits, the SSA may approve a “representative payee” to receive the beneficiary’s benefits and to use them for the beneficiary. In such an instance, the SSA requires the representative payee to annually certify a continuing relationship with the beneficiary and how the representative used the beneficiary’s program benefits on his or her behalf.

On April 10, 2006, L.F. died. Nonetheless, not only did Fields fail to report that fact to the SSA, but she also completed at least 13 Representative Payee Reports between 2007 and 2022 on which she falsely claimed that L.F continued to live with her. These reports also contained false claims that she had spent his retirement benefits on his behalf to maintain his health and well-being. The lies were aimed at deceiving the SSA into continuing to pay her money that she was not owed. As a result, Rebecca Fields received approximately $231,203.10 in L.F.’s social security benefits- of which she was not entitled after he passed away.

“For over a decade, Fields brazenly stole not only from the United States government, but also indirectly from taxpayers who diligently pay into the Social Security retirement fund. Fields’ conduct also indirectly preyed on the vulnerable, elderly beneficiaries who ultimately depend on the program’s payments upon their retirement from the workforce,” said John E. Childress, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This sentence should serve as a stark warning to potential fraudsters who may believe they can cheat the system- you will pay the price.”

The Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Corbin D. Houston, who prosecuted this case.

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INDIANAPOLIS— George Stevens, 38, of South Carolina, has been sentenced to 33 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to interference with security screening personnel and assault of a federal officer.

According to court documents, at approximately 1:30 p.m. on July 15, 2023, Stevens was passing through Transportation Security Administration (“TSA”) Checkpoint A at the Indianapolis International Airport. When he moved through a screening machine at Checkpoint A, the machine displayed an alarm indicating that additional screening of his chest, groin, and buttocks was required. A Transportation Security Officer (“TSO”) requested that Stevens step aside for a pat-down search. Stevens complied with the initial request and continued to comply while the TSO patted down his chest. However, when the TSO began patting down his outer and inner groin area, Stevens called the TSO a “freak” approximately 4 times. The TSO then requested a supervisor over the radio.

The supervisor who responded to the radio call observed that Stevens appeared intoxicated, was not complying with the TSO’s instructions, and was repeating phrases such as “I don’t have nothing” and “I’m just trying to get home.”

When the supervisor instructed Stevens to remove his belt and hold his pants up by his belt loops, Stevens dropped into a squat and shook his buttocks at the supervisor and other assisting TSOs. The supervisor then halted screening in lanes 1 and 2 of Checkpoint A, and requested that an Indianapolis Airport Police Department (“APD”) officer be dispatched to Checkpoint A. While the supervisor was doing this, Stevens squatted for a second time and shook his buttocks at the other TSOs.

When Stevens was told that APD was on its way, Stevens became agitated and stated, “I don’t have nothing” and “what do you want to see?” Stevens then pulled his jeans and underwear to his ankles and exposed his bare buttocks and genitals to the TSOs and the passengers in the vicinity.

When the APD officer arrived, Stevens continued to disrobe by removing his jeans and placing them over the supervisor’s shoulder, removing his underwear and forcibly pressing it into the supervisor’s face, and then throwing the underwear at the supervisor.

Stevens then removed his socks and – while completely naked – began advancing towards the supervisor. Stevens was then placed under arrest by APD and removed from the Checkpoint.

The entirety of Stevens’ lewd assault occurred in full view of the traveling public, including families with small children, who were attempting to navigate the security checkpoint and get to their flights.

Prior to this incident, Stevens had sustained an extensive criminal history spanning multiple years, including multiple convictions for domestic violence and firearms offenses. The sentence that Stevens received was at the very top of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines range.

“Our Indianapolis International Airport is one of the finest airports in the country. TSA Officers stationed at the airport handle significant passenger traffic throughout the year with tremendous professionalism and a real dedication to the safety of the traveling public,” said John E. Childress, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Let this message be heard far and wide; the lewd and violent behavior towards security staff demonstrated by Mr. Stevens in this case will not be tolerated in this district, and it will be prosecuted to the fullest extent.”

“TSA officers at Indianapolis International Airport work tirelessly to screen thousands of people each day and prevent dangerous items from being brought onboard aircraft, usually in full cooperation with passengers,” TSA Indiana Federal Security Director Aaron Batt said. “We appreciate the support from local law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office when our officers or members of the public face harassment and abuse at the checkpoint, and we look forward to continuing to collaborate in our joint effort to keep passengers and our nation’s transportation systems safe.”

"This sentence underscores the FBI’s commitment to holding individuals accountable for criminal acts against those who serve and safeguard the public,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI, in collaboration with local and federal partners, will continue its tireless efforts to identify and apprehend those who commit these lewd and unlawful acts against public servants.”

The FBI, TSA, and APD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Olivier, who prosecuted this case.

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INDIANAPOLIS— Larry Goldsmith., 26, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release after pleading guilty to transportation of a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity.

According to court documents, in 2020, Goldsmith began messaging a 14-year-old girl living in Michigan through the social media applications Spot-a-Friend and Snapchat. Goldsmith knew of the child’s age at the time yet engaged in sexually explicit conversations with her. 

At the end of August 2020, the child got into a verbal argument with her mother and expressed to Goldsmith that she wanted to run away from home. Goldsmith drove over four hours to Michigan and picked her up at a business near her home. Goldsmith was 21 years old at the time.

On the way back to Indiana, Goldsmith engaged in sexually explicit conduct with the child at a rest stop in Michigan and then transported her across state lines to a home he rented in Indianapolis.  During their time living together, Goldsmith had sex with the child numerous times and impregnated her.

After committing these offenses, Goldsmith continued his sexual abuse of minors by committing essentially the same conduct with another child in Georgia – where he drugged and raped a 13-year-old. In 2022, Goldsmith pleaded guilty to those crimes in Georgia and was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, which he is currently serving.

“Goldsmith is no longer a danger to children and families in our community,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “He is a manipulative, child predator who used the tools of social media to abuse a vulnerable child over and over again. I commend the outstanding work of local law enforcement agencies in Indiana and Georgia, along with the FBI, to bring the victim home safely.”

"The FBI is unwavering in our mission to protect the most vulnerable members of our society – our children. This case highlights the disturbing reality of sexual exploitation, and the sentence ensures this predator will remain behind bars and unable to continue to perpetrate such atrocities,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our commitment to work together to ensure no child is victimized in this way.”

“This sentence sends a clear message—those who harm children will be held accountable," said IMPD Chief Chris Bailey. "The dedication and diligence of our IMPD officers, along with law enforcement agencies across the country, played a critical role in getting this predator behind bars.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman. Under federal law, Goldsmith must register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school for life.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney MaryAnn T. Mindrum, who prosecuted this case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

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TERRE HAUTE— Lawrence Taylor, 44, formerly of Akron, Ohio, and current inmate of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, has been sentenced to life in federal prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder.

According to court documents, Taylor and Jan Stevens (“Stevens”) were inmates at the Federal Correctional Complex, in Terre Haute, Indiana, and housed within the Special Housing Unit (“SHU”). Taylor and Stevens were cellmates in the SHU for just three days prior to January 12, 2019.

On January 12, 2019, at approximately 1:25 a.m., a SHU staff member walked by Taylor’s and Stevens’s cell and observed Stevens lying on the lower bunk, partially covered with a sheet, with his head at the foot of the bed. Taylor was also inside the cell, standing in front of the door window. Upon a second glance, the staff member saw a laceration to Stevens’s neck, along with blood spattered against the wall and pooling on the floor. The next day, a forensic pathologist conducted an autopsy of Stevens and found his cause of death to be 43 stab wounds to his body, most significantly to the neck area, leading him to bleed out. During an interview with FBI agents, Taylor admitted to killing Stevens with a weapon he had possessed for the previous three months.

At the time of the murder, Taylor was serving a 284-month sentence for a series of bank robberies in 2009.  Prior to the murder of Stevens, Taylor was projected to be released from the Bureau of Prisons in September 2031.

“This murder extends beyond the taking of a life – it shatters the lives of those closest to the victim.  Taylor’s act was heinous; well justifying the imposition of a life sentence,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “I commend the FBI, Corrections Officers and our federal prosecutors who handled this case with such a determination for justice.”

“This life sentence reflects the FBI’s commitment to justice for all victims including those who are incarcerated in federal correctional facilities. The brutality of this violent murder deserves the maximum penalty allowed under the law,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI will continue to work closely with the Bureau of Prisons and all of our law enforcement partners to investigate and apprehend those who commit violent acts and hold them accountable.”

"Today's sentencing sends a clear message - those who threaten or harm others will be held accountable,” said a Federal Bureau of Prisons Spokesperson. “The safety and security of our facilities will always be the FBOP’s top priority in our mission to ensure public safety."

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Prisons investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayson W. McGrath and former Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Warden, who prosecuted this case.

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EVANSVILLE— Ethan Parker, 31 and Joshua Harvey 33, of Evansville, have been sentenced for their parts in a fentanyl trafficking scheme. Parker was sentenced to four years in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession and distribution of a tableting machine. Harvey was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.

According to court documents, between January 1, 2022, and April 4, 2022, Parker and Harvey conspired together to manufacture and distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl laced pills to individuals in and around the city of Evansville.

In the furtherance of the conspiracy, on multiple occasions in February and March of 2022, Harvey sold fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills in Evansville, Indiana, and Henderson, Kentucky. On March 23, 2022, Parker, communicating through an encrypted messaging application, agreed to sell Harvey 100 fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills for $350. On April 4, 2022, Harvey possessed approximately 31.9 grams of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills with the intent to distribute them to dealers.

On August 25, 2021, Parker sold a blue pill press, along with an Alprazolam imprinting die, for $1,400, knowing that the pill press would be used to manufacture a controlled substance. The die could be used to manufacture counterfeit Alprazolam (Xanax). On April 4, 2022, Parker was found in possession of another pill press and pill imprinting dies of various shapes and imprints for use in the manufacture of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills.

“Fentanyl dealers value their profits far more than the lives of our families and neighbors,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “We must fight to save lives by investigating and prosecuting criminals who exploit the epidemic of substance use disorder to satisfy their own greed. Our office, the DEA, and the Evansville Police Department are committed to holding fentanyl traffickers accountable for pushing deadly poison on our streets.”

“The charges against Mr. Parker and Mr. Harvey were necessary and justified. This case exemplified high level investigative work conducted by the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force in collaboration with the DEA Evansville HIDTA Task Force," said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Gannon. "Mr. Parker and Mr. Harvey were responsible for distributing significant quantities of fake pills containing fentanyl. In addition, the investigation led to the seizure of two pill presses capable of manufacturing fake Xanax pills and fentanyl pills.  Taking two pill presses off the streets is a major win for our community. The DEA remains committed to working hand-in-hand with our partners to hold reckless drug dealers, who peddle poison to our communities, accountable for their actions and make our community safer.” 

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. This prosecution is part of the Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage—a tiny amount that can fit on the tip of a pencil. Seven out of ten illegal fentanyl tablets seized from U.S. streets and analyzed by the DEA have been found to contain a potentially lethal dose of the drug.

One Pill Can Kill: Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of death for adults in the United States. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies. For example, fake prescription pills known as “M30s” imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors. They often have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late.

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INDIANAPOLIS— Three individuals have been sentenced to a combined 16 years in federal prison for their roles in a multi-year mail theft and bank fraud scheme.

According to court documents, between October 2021 and April 2022, Cortez Venable, Ephraim Aung, and Brooke Bryan conspired together to commit bank fraud using financial documents such as checks and money orders, which were stolen from U.S. Postal Service (USPS) collection boxes. These collection boxes can only be opened by special “arrow keys” that belong to USPS letter carriers. In order to obtain the arrow keys, Venable and other unknown individuals robbed postal workers at gunpoint while they were on their daily routes delivering mail. Venable robbed a letter carrier on October 4, 2021. Prior to the robbery, Venable and Aung had been in contact via text message. Aung told Venable to take the letter carrier’s mail bag, in addition to their arrow keys, and to look for checks in the stolen mail.

On December 6, 2021, Bryan and Aung served as lookouts while other unknown men attempted to rob a letter carrier of her arrow key in the parking lot of an apartment complex. The letter carrier ran to Bryan and Aung’s vehicle for help, unaware that they were involved in the scheme.

Aung again served as a lookout during an armed robbery of a letter carrier that occurred on December 21, 2021.

Using the arrow keys taken during the robberies, Venable and Aung stole mail, checks and money orders from USPS blue collection boxes in the Indianapolis area. Next, they used the stolen checks and money orders to obtain real cash by either (1) creating fraudulent checks and money orders using some or all of the information found on the stolen checks and money orders; or (2) altering the payee information on the stolen checks and money orders. Venable and Aung recruited others to deposit the fraudulent checks and money orders into their personal bank accounts, a scheme that has come to be known as “card cracking.” Bryan also deposited stolen financial instruments into her personal account.

Card cracking is a form of fraud where bank account holders respond to an online solicitation for “easy money” and provide a debit card for withdrawal of fake check deposits. Criminals use social media platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, or Telegram to solicit account holders. Those who respond to these solicitations - now accomplices - provide their debit card, PIN, password, and other personal identifying information to give the criminal direct access to their account, as well as payment of sometimes $15,000 for the service. The fraudster deposits the worthless checks and either immediately withdraws the funds at an ATM or transfers it out of the account via money transfer applications like Zelle or CashApp. The criminal sometimes provides the customer with a cut of the money withdrawn using worthless checks – or, in other cases, takes all funds out of the customer’s account.

During a search of Venable’s car and home, U.S. Postal Service Investigators recovered 247 pieces of stolen mail, three arrow keys, $70,121.44 in stolen checks and four firearms. As a convicted felon, Venable was prohibited from possessing firearms.

Investigators also searched the apartment that Bryan and Aung shared and located several stolen checks, altered money orders, laptops, a printer, a scanner, and blank check stock, along with other items commonly used to alter checks, including razor blades and white out. Multiple firearms were also recovered in their residence.

In total, more than 150 people were victimized by this scheme, losing a total of approximately $104,747.09.

Aung, Bryan and Venable were convicted and sentenced as follows:

• Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
• Bank Fraud, 2 Counts
• Mail Theft

5 years imprisonment

3 years supervised release

$807 in restitution

$500 fine

• Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
• Bank Fraud

18 months imprisonment

2 years supervised release

$807 in restitution

$500 fine

• Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
• Bank Fraud
• Robbery or Mail
• Brandishing a Firearm In Furtherance of a Crime of Violence
• Mail Theft
• Keys or Locks Stolen

130 months imprisonment

3 years supervised release

$807 in restitution

$500 fine

“Not only did this scheme victimize and traumatize letter carriers – it also victimized ordinary citizens who rely on the United States mail to send important correspondence or pay bills,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Letter carriers should not have to live in fear of gun violence simply for doing their jobs. Americans should not have to fear that their important financial documents will be stolen and exploited by fraudsters who wreak financial havoc. The serious federal prison sentences in this case demonstrates that the Department of Justice, working with our federal partners, will ensure there will be serious consequences for violence against public servants and fraud against the public.”

“This sentencing represents the hard work and dedication by USPS OIG Special Agents, the U.S. Postal Inspectors and the Beech Grove and Lawrence Police Departments, working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges on this significant mail theft investigation. Substantial sentences such as these are a staunch reminder of the severity of stealing from the U.S. Mail,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop, U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. “The majority of postal employees are hard-working public servants dedicated to moving mail to its proper destination. The USPS OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, remain committed to safeguarding the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.”

“The sentencing of these three individuals shows the utmost importance we place on the safety of U.S. Postal Service employees and the sanctity of the U.S. mail,” said Detroit Division Acting Inspector in Charge Felicia George. “We will not stop pursuing those who seek to harm our employees and victimize postal customers. We will bring them to justice to account for their violent and selfish crimes. The partnerships we’ve established with our USPS OIG counterparts, local police departments, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office allowed us to work jointly to pursue and hold these individuals accountable. Let this serve as reminder to those who want to make a quick dollar by traumatizing our letter carriers and financially preying on the American public: We will find you and bring you to justice.”

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated this case, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Beech Grove Police Department, and the Lawrence Police Department. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelsey Massa and Meredith Wood and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence Hilton, who prosecuted this case.

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INDIANAPOLIS— James Watt, 26, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 3 years of probation after pleading guilty to unlawful production of document or authentication feature and money laundering.

According to court documents, between March 13, 2019, and February 16, 2023, James Watt worked for a public website that allowed customers to purchase fake driver’s licenses, paid for mostly by Bitcoin. The website’s tag line boasted “Your #1 Trusted Source for Fake IDs.”

Over the course of four years, Watt manufactured more than 30,000 fraudulent driver’s licenses and other forms of false identification. Customers would upload photos of themselves and an address to which to send the new I.D. Watt then mailed the false identifications via U.S. Postal Service collection boxes throughout Indianapolis, usually late at night to avoid detection.

In exchange for this work, Watt was paid more than 14 Bitcoin. As of January 16, 2025, 14 bitcoin was worth more than $1.3 million.

Although many of the fake IDs were purchased by underage college students, many IDs were purchased by adults far older than 21, implying their use for another nefarious purpose. Identification is needed to board a plane, buy cough medicine, rent a car, open a bank account, apply for government assistance, pick-up a prescription, visit a casino, and purchase a firearm. Through Watt’s help, his customers were able to get fake identifications for all these purposes.

“Watt nearly became a millionaire simply through the manufacturing and mailing of thousands of fake IDs, essentially running a one-man BMV,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “While Watt was not the operator of the website, he had a far more critical role, utilizing equipment and skill to manufacture quality fake identifications and brazenly violate the law thousands of times over. I commend the IRS-CI and USPIS for their thorough investigative work leading to today’s outcome.”

“I am proud of our inspectors who work so diligently to protect the mail from being utilized to further illicit activities,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Felicia George. “Thanks to our collaborative investigative efforts with IRS-CI, we were able to identify and take down part of a large-scale operation, while also seizing the proceeds of it from our area of responsibility. I would like to thank the inspectors, agents, and AUSA Eakman for their hard work on this case.”

The U.S. Postal Investigation Service and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Eakman, who prosecuted this case.

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EVANSVILLE- 29 defendants have been sentenced to a combined 378 years in federal prison for their roles in a large methamphetamine and fentanyl drug trafficking organization that operated in Southern Indiana.

According to court documents, between January 2020 and November 2021, the following 29 individuals conspired together to distribute a total of nearly 500 pounds of methamphetamine and over three kilograms of fentanyl. This investigation led to the seizure of over 80 pounds of methamphetamine, over 560 grams of fentanyl, and $240,000 in United States currency.

Jeramey Smith served as the leader of the drug trafficking operation. Smith began obtaining multiple pound quantities of crystal methamphetamine from Julian Green in early 2020 until April of 2021 when he changed his source of supply to a cartel linked individual based in Houston, Texas. In June of 2021, Smith was robbed of a large amount of cash and was unable to pay his supplier for the lost product. Smith resorted back to Green to obtain the crystal methamphetamine.

DeJarnett was one of Smith’s top methamphetamine customers, often purchasing up to 20 pounds at a time. After Smith obtained the methamphetamine from either Green or his Mexican source of supply, he then distributed the methamphetamine to mid -level distributors in Indianapolis and Evansville.   

In September 2021, Smith branched out to also begin selling large quantities of fentanyl-laced pills. Smith would obtain fentanyl powder from Markey and/or Moore, who would then press the powder into pills. Smith then used his same distributors to distribute the fentanyl throughout Southern Indiana. Law enforcement seized an automated pill press during the course of the investigation. Smith also used violence and intimidation to further his drug business by having his distributors robbed of their drug proceeds at gun point.

Additionally, several members of the drug trafficking used firearms to protect themselves and their profits. In total, law enforcement officers seized over 30 firearms from the defendants during court-authorized searches at multiple locations in Indianapolis and Evansville.

The charges and sentences are described below:

Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

Felon in Possession of a Firearm

Obstruction of Commerce by Robbery

240 months (20 years)

5 years supervised release

Julian Green, 36

Indianapolis, IN

Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

Felon in Possession of a Firearm

210 months (17.5 years)

Indianapolis, IN

Hannah Kissel, 28

Indianapolis, IN

Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

97 months (8 years)

3 years supervised release

Jordan Wilson, 41

Evansville, IN

Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

Felon in Possession of a Firearm

216 months (15.7 years)

5 years supervised release

Timothy Rice, 35

Evansville, IN

204 months (17 years)

5 years supervised release

Archilles Johnson, 40

Evansville, IN

180 months (15 years)

5 years supervised release

Deonte Howard, 36

Evansville, IN

180 months (15 years)

5 years supervised release

Julie Hunt, 37

Petersburg, IN

Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

60 months (5 years)

3 years supervised release

Torrance Mimms, 34

Evansville, IN

180 months (15 years)

5 years supervised release

Keisha Jewell, 40

Princeton, IN

Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

108 months (9 years)

3 years supervised release

Davion Hays, 38

Evansville, IN

144 months (12 years)

5 years supervised release

Jason Mitchell, 43

Henderson, KY

204 months (17 years)

5 years supervised release

Denny Taylor, 49

Princeton, IN

180 months (15 years)

5 years supervised release

Aaron Hardiman, 42

Princeton, IN

120 months (10 years)

5 years supervised release

Roman Wills, 43

Evansville, IN

180 months (15 years)

5 years supervised release

Michael Sanders, 48

Owensboro, KY

168 months (14 years)

5 years supervised release

Gregory Snyder, 62

Evansville, IN

36 months (3 years)

4 years supervised release

Joshua Gahagan, 41

Evansville, IN

180 months (15 years)

5 years supervised release

Gregory Markey, 35

Indianapolis, IN

168 months (14 years)

5 years supervised release

L.C. Moore, II, 31

Indianapolis, IN

120 months (5 years)

5 years supervised release

Dominique Baquet, 31

Indianapolis, IN

57 months (4.7 years)

3 years supervised release

Antonio DeJarnett, 36

Evansville, IN

264 months (22 years)

5 years supervised release

Ryan Pinkston, 42

Evansville, IN

Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

Felon in Possession of Ammunition

240 months (20 years)

5 years supervised release

Robert Embry, 46

Evansville, IN

60 months (5 years)

5 years supervised release

Becky Edwards, 39

Evansville, IN

120 months (10 years)

5 years supervised release

Edward Meredith, 59

Evansville, IN

120 months (10 years)

5 years supervised release

Joshua Wilson, 33

Evansville, IN

30 months (2.5 years)

No supervised release

Tabitha Seabeck, 32

Henderson, KY

180 months (15 years)

5 years supervised release

Zachary Addison, 42

Evansville, IN

Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

Felon in Possession of a Firearm

300 months (25 years)

5 years supervised release

“The members of this conspiracy will spend decades in federal prison for pumping pounds of methamphetamine and fentanyl onto our streets,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Drug use devastates so many families and kills hundreds of Hoosiers every year. That’s why we will work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to dismantle armed organizations trafficking in deadly drugs. The sentences imposed in this case demonstrate our continued commitment to protecting the public from these dangerous criminals.”

“Dismantling a major drug trafficking organization that was responsible for distributing multi-hundred-pound quantities of methamphetamine and kilogram quantities of fentanyl onto the streets of Indiana was a big win for law enforcement. Because of the exceptional collaborative efforts by law enforcement, we were able to achieve this remarkable outcome,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Michael Gannon. “This investigation was a wonderful victory for all Hoosiers and sends a crystal-clear message to major drug dealers we will continue working together with our partners to dismantle their illicit operations.”   

“This sentencing is a significant victory in the relentless fight against the trafficking of deadly drugs and underscores the FBI’s commitment to pursue those who wreak havoc on our communities through their illegal drug trade,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure those who endanger public safety and contribute to this crisis are held accountable.”

“I would like to thank the dedicated Evansville Police Officers and Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office Deputies as well as our federal partners in the DEA and US Attorney’s Office for their roles in getting these individuals off our streets. The manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl have brought death and destruction to our communities and have done irreversible damage to families in the worst way possible. This community will not tolerate that kind of behavior and illegal activity, and we will use every resource available to us to stop it and put dealers behind bars.”

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Evansville Resident Office, with the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Evansville Vanderburgh County Joint Task Force, DEA Indianapolis and Indianapolis Metro Drug Task Force providing valuable assistance. The sentenced were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew P. Brookman.

Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Childress thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Wheatley and Jeremy Kemper, who prosecuted this case. 

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage—a tiny amount that can fit on the tip of a pencil. Seven out of ten illegal fentanyl tablets seized from U.S. streets and analyzed by the DEA have been found to contain a potentially lethal dose of the drug.

One Pill Can Kill: Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of death for adults in the United States. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies. For example, fake prescription pills known as “M30s” imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors. They often have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late.

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EVANSVILLE— James Henley, 35, of Greenwood, Indiana, has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit access device fraud, two counts of money laundering, and eight counts of wire fraud. Henley has also been ordered to pay $1,887,426.63 in restitution.

According to court documents, over the course of three years, Henley orchestrated multiple large and complex fraud schemes, resulting in a total loss of $2,927,758.95 to individual homeowners, an Indiana attorney, a bank, and ten state governments. As part of his fraud schemes, Henley registered five fake businesses (OnTrack Real Estate Solutions, LDI Investments Corp, Lucario Investments, 317 Traffic, and Henley Real Estate Solutions) with the states of Indiana and Kentucky, claiming to serve as the Chief Executive Officer for most of them. None of the businesses were legitimate. Instead, Henley used the businesses to mask his identity, make his schemes appear more credible, and launder the stolen money.

Henley’s schemes are broken down as follows:

COVID-19 Fraud:

Between May 2020 and March 2021, James Henley, his wife Jameka Henley, and his associate Jimmie Bickers used the stolen personally identifiable information of 76 real individuals to submit 120 unemployment insurance applications to ten states during the COVID-19 pandemic. Once the applications were approved, the trio used 65 unemployment insurance debit cards to make purchases at retailers and withdraw cash at ATMs in the Evansville and Indianapolis areas. The states paid a total of $1,119,426.63 in unemployment benefits in connection with the group’s fraudulent applications.  In July 2020, Henley used funds withdrawn from ATMs to buy a Chevrolet Camaro for $22,801.

Bickers and Jameka Henley have been formally charged for their roles in this scheme but have not pleaded guilty.

Home Title Fraud:

Between December 2021 and May 2023, Henley stole five homes in Indianapolis by filing fraudulent deeds with the Marion County Recorder’s Office. Through the filings, Henley claimed that the homeowners had sold their homes to his fake businesses, but, in reality, he had never even spoken with the homeowners.  Unbeknownst to the victims, Henley filed these fraudulent deeds and then sold the homes for significantly less than their market value, pocketing more than $260,000 in profits.

Henley also attempted to steal and sell an additional 14 homes in Indianapolis and Evansville.  With one exception, the individuals who bought the homes from Henley took possession and ultimately kept the homes.

For one homeowner, the property Henley stole was her childhood home. She purchased the home while her mother was in the hospital with the hope that, when her mother’s condition improved, her mother would be able to live out her remaining years in the house.

Mortgage Fraud:

In November 2021, an associate of Henley’s purchased a home in Indianapolis, using a mortgage loan from a bank.  In April 2022, Henley filed a fraudulent document with the Marion County Recorder’s Office to make it seem as if the mortgage loan had been paid off, when it had not been paid. Henley then filed a deed naming himself a joint owner of the home. Henley and his associate subsequently sold the property for $255,000, pocketing all the proceeds, even though the bank should have received the majority of the funds.

Auto Loan Fraud:

In March 2023, Henley purchased a Dodge Durango in Indianapolis for $71,479, using an auto loan from Everwise Credit Union. A few months later, in June 2023, Henley purchased a Chevrolet Silverado in Plainfield for $54,270, using a second loan from Everwise Credit Union.

In October 2023, Henley connected a JPMorgan Chase bank account to his auto loans, via Everwise’s online payment portal.  Henley falsely represented that the Chase account belonged to Jimmie Bickers, and that he had authority to make payments on his loans using funds from the Chase account.

The Chase account was actually an Indiana attorney’s Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Account (IOLTA), which is a highly regulated bank account used by lawyers to hold client funds.  The interest earned on IOLTA accounts is used to fund grants for nonprofit groups that promote pro bono and access to justice programs. Henley did not have the attorney’s permission to access or withdraw funds from the IOLTA account.

Between October and November 2023, Henley used the IOLTA account to make two payments, totaling $98,000, toward his auto loans.

Henley has prior felony convictions for financial crimes, including theft, forgery, and fraud.

“James Henley went to great lengths to coordinate exceptionally greedy, complex schemes that exploited hard-working families and state government programs,” said John E. Childress, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Undeterred by prior felony convictions for the same conduct, this defendant stole over a million dollars, wreaking financial and logistical havoc on hundreds of victims. The Department of Justice will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of fraud and seek prosecution as appropriate.”

"James Henley filed fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) claims in the names of identity theft victims in order to receive UI benefits to which he was not entitled. He enriched himself by defrauding a program that was intended to assist struggling American workers during an unprecedented global pandemic," said Megan Howell, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. "We and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the integrity of the UI system from those who seek to exploit this critical benefit program."

“This lengthy prison sentence sends a clear message: individuals who attempt to exploit and commit financial crime and identity theft will be brought to justice,” said Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation and our fellow law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the integrity of our financial institutions and will continue to hold criminals like James Henley accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

"This case should serve as a powerful reminder that individuals with a history of financial crimes will face significant consequences when they demonstrate a blatant disregard for the law and continue to exploit and deceive others for personal gain,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI, working alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to hold those who perpetuate such offenses accountable and protect the public from those who manipulate the system for their own benefit.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor-Office of the Inspector General, and the Indiana Attorney General’s Office Homeowner Protection Unit investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew B. Brookman.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Miller, who prosecuted this case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID‑19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID‑19  can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form

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INDIANAPOLIS— Lamone Lauderdale, 37, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 248 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, on January 19, 2022, a Zionsville Police Department K9 officer pulled Lamone Lauderdale over for speeding. A K9 sniff indicated the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle. When Lauderdale was asked to step out of the car, he fled and led officers on a high-speed pursuit down US-421. Lauderdale eventually came to a stop after striking two other vehicles and popping his tire on a median near Michigan Road in Indianapolis. Lauderdale then fled on foot carrying a black bag.

Lauderdale was eventually found and arrested but was no longer carrying the black bag. Officers located the abandoned bag, which contained 170 grams of methamphetamine, 60 grams of fentanyl, 111 grams of cocaine, a pill press, a digital scale, a 9mm handgun, and 11 rounds of live ammunition.

A later search of Lauderdale’s vehicle recovered an additional 22 grams of methamphetamine, another digital scale, another handgun and five rounds of ammunition.

“Traffickers of deadly drugs, armed with deadly weapons, are a poison in our communities,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Those who choose to endanger our families to further their own greed will be identified and prosecuted. With our federal, state, and local partners, we are committed to ensuring dangerous criminals are taken off our streets and held accountable for their actions. I commend the talented professionals at the Zionsville Police Department and ATF, and our federal prosecutor, for their efforts to apprehend and successfully prosecute this dangerous criminal.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Zionsville Police Department and investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayson W. McGrath, who prosecuted this case.

This case is 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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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INDIANAPOLIS— Robert Powell, 23, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 79 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to robbery of mail.

According to court documents, on the morning of June 15, 2022, a United States Postal Service worker was in a Postal truck delivering mail at an apartment complex in Avon. At approximately 10:15 a.m., Powell approached the postal worker on foot, wearing a mask over his face and displaying a firearm. Powell ordered the carjacking victim to get out of the truck and leave her belongings inside.

Powell stole the truck and drove it out of the apartment complex at a high rate of speed for about a mile before pulling over to meet with another person waiting in a Mazda 6 sedan. Another letter carrier in the area saw the victim’s mail truck speed by and noticed that something was amiss. The second letter carrier followed the stolen truck and saw Powell and the other individual take mail and parcels from the postal truck and put them in the Mazda. The pair noticed the second mail truck and fled the scene, leaving the stolen postal vehicle behind as the second carrier called 911.

As the investigation continued, U.S. Postal Inspectors located Powell’s Facebook account, “Syko Bob.” On this account, Powell regularly solicited bank account information from other users, in furtherance of a type of fraud called card cracking, even going as far as attempting to recruit a USPS mail carrier into his scheme. Card cracking is deceptive practice where scammers convince individuals to share their bank account information, so the scammer can use their account to deposit fraudulent checks or other financial instruments. Scammers obtain these stolen checks by either stealing mail (as Powell did in this case) or purchasing stolen checks from other criminals. The scammer then alters the stolen checks, deposits them into the other individual’s account, and withdraws the funds as quickly as possible, sometimes splitting the profit with the account holder.

“This criminal chose to threaten the life of a letter carrier at gun point, engaging in gun violence to facilitate the fraud scheme he perpetrated against countless victims. Fortunately, the letter carrier was not physically harmed, but the lasting trauma he inflicted is palpable,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Letter carriers should not have to live in fear of gun violence simply for doing their jobs. Americans should not have to fear that their important financial documents will be stolen and exploited by fraudsters who wreak financial havoc. The serious federal prison sentence in this case demonstrates that there will be serious consequences for violence against public servants and fraud against the public. I commend the Postal Inspection Service, the Avon Police Department, and our federal prosecutor for their commitment to seeking justice for letter carriers and the public who depend upon them.”

“As postal inspectors, we are committed to ensuring the safety of USPS employees and the sanctity and security of the mail. Thanks to the hard work of our inspectors and the Avon Police Department, Mr. Powell can no longer threaten these,” said Inspector in Charge Rodney Hopkins. “I would also like to extend my appreciation to AUSA Massa for ensuring justice was served in this case.”

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Avon Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey L. Massa, who prosecuted this case.

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INDIANAPOLIS— Jonathon Jerald Ashley Jr., 30, of Anderson, Indiana, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to court documents, on October 22, 2023, an Anderson Police Department officer was called to a vehicle crash in the vicinity of 20th and Noble Streets. The officer arrived to find a heavily intoxicated Jonathon Ashley walking away from the accident.

During a search of Ashley’s person, officers located a loaded Glock handgun in his front right pocket. At the time of arrest, Ashley had been previously convicted of domestic battery, resisting law enforcement, invasion of privacy, dealing in a narcotic drug, and pointing a firearm. His felony convictions prohibit him from ever legally possessing a firearm again.

“This defendant has repeatedly demonstrated his utter disregard for the law or the safety of others, including those closest to him,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Many illegally armed perpetrators of gun violence in the home and in the community have a prior history of domestic violence. That’s why our office is working together with the FBI, through the LEATH initiative, to protect the public from these offenders and save lives.”

“This dangerous combination of impaired driving and illegal possession of a firearm had the potential to lead to devastating consequences and this sentence underscores the seriousness of the defendant’s actions,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure those who show such reckless disregard for the law and the safety of others will be held accountable.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Anderson Police Department and investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayson W. McGrath, who prosecuted this case.

This case was brought as part of the LEATH Initiative (Law Enforcement Action to Halt Domestic Violence), named in honor of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Officer Breann Leath, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic disturbance call.  A partnership among the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the IMPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, the LEATH Initiative focuses federal, state, and local law enforcement resources on domestic violence offenders who illegally possess firearms.

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INDIANAPOLIS— Marvin T. Golden Jr., 26, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to thirteen years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of distribution of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and evidence presented at the sentencing hearing, on October 26, 2022, Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputies observed Marvin Golden, Jr. sell 55 grams of methamphetamine while his children were sitting in the back seat of his car. On November 3, 2022, Golden sold another 20 grams of methamphetamine and a gram of fentanyl in Shelby County.

In the early hours of March 25, 2023, Anthony Shelman was shot to death in Marion County. At approximately 3:25 a.m., Shelman was driving east on I-70 with a passenger in his car. As they approached the Emerson Avenue exit, multiple rounds were fired at their vehicle. Shelman was shot in the chest, his passenger was shot in the hand, and the vehicle crashed into a light pole at the intersection after the Emerson Avenue exit, and two other nearby vehicles fled the scene at high speed. Shelman was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at a local hospital, and his passenger survived. Police later identified multiple gunshot holes in the windshield and passenger side of the vehicle.

The Indiana State Police began an extensive investigation of the killing, including extensive review of video evidence from traffic and surveillance cameras. Troopers discovered that Shelman, his passenger, Marvin Golden, and another individual were all at the Sunset Strip Club in Indianapolis, immediately prior to the shooting. Golden and the other individual were waiting outside the club when Shelman and his passenger drove away. Golden and the other individual each followed Shelman in their own vehicles. The two vehicles followed Shelman for more than ten minutes and over seven miles before exiting I-70 at Emerson Avenue at the same time the shots were apparently fired, and fled at high speed after the shooting. At approximately 7:00 that same morning, Golden is seen on video extensively cleaning his car for ten minutes in the pouring rain, including moving the seats and shining a light in an apparent effort to locate objects in the car.

On May 3, 2023, Troopers conducted a court-authorized search of Golden’s home and seized a .40 caliber Glock 27 handgun. The gun was previously possessed by a relative of Golden’s, and forensic testing found that it was the gun used to kill Shelman. DNA testing identified Golden’s DNA on multiple parts of the gun. At Golden’s federal sentencing hearing, the judge enhanced his advisory sentencing range after finding that Golden possessed the murder weapon in connection with a felony offense related to Shelman’s murder.

On August 28, 2023, Indiana State Police Troopers and two Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Golden and seized a loaded Glock 9mm handgun from his person.

Unsealed court records demonstrate that Golden was previously a member of a street gang referred to as the Mob. He was charged as a juvenile in federal court for his role in a series of armed robberies of pharmacies committed when he was 17 years old. Golden and his co-conspirators stole drugs from the pharmacies at gunpoint and then sold the stolen drugs. Golden brandished firearms and pointed them at victims’ heads during multiple robberies. At one of the robberies Golden participated in, two members of the conspiracy got into a dispute, and one shot the other in the head, killing him. The following day, Golden robbed another pharmacy at gunpoint.

In 2019, Golden was sentenced as a juvenile to time served, the maximum penalty available under the law, and given one year of juvenile probation. His co-conspirators were charged and convicted in federal court under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.

He was later convicted of additional drug and gun offenses as an adult and was a felon when he conducted both drug deals and possessed both firearms, including the murder weapon. As a previously convicted felon, Golden was prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.

“Anthony Shelman should be alive today, and we extend our deepest sympathies to his family and all who loved him,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Marvin Goldman has repeatedly demonstrated that he is a violent, vicious criminal who has an utter disregard for the law. As we work to urgently reduce gun violence, investigation and federal prosecution of the most dangerous armed criminals is a top priority. We are grateful to our partners at ATF, ISP, and in Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, as well as our federal prosecutor, for ensuring that this measure of justice is done and this menace to our community will be off of our streets for years to come.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Indiana State Police, and Shelby County Sheriff’s Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela S. Domash, who prosecuted this case.

This case is 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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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INDIANAPOLIS— Dwight Oliver, 40, of Grand Prairie, Texas, has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release after pleading guilty to mail fraud. Oliver has also been ordered to pay $1,435,954.62 in restitution.

According to court documents, from May 2021 to August 2022, Dwight Oliver worked as a facility supervisor for a company that operated a warehouse in Plainfield, Indiana.

Between June 2021 and September 2021, approximately $2 million worth of Fitbit devices went missing in transit to multiple Amazon fulfillment centers across the United States. Through an internal investigation, Amazon discovered that the missing devices were associated with bulk purchase orders that had transited at one time through the warehouse where Oliver worked.

In June of 2021, Oliver began stealing Fitbits devices from the warehouse. He disabled the GPS tracker of his employer’s sprinter van, allowing him to transport the stolen merchandise from the warehouse without detection by his employer. Oliver posted the stolen devices for sale on eBay, representing himself as a legitimate third-party seller.

Oliver used the United States Post Office to mail one hundred stolen Fitbit devices to buyers across the country. In total, Oliver received approximately $687,540.53 for the sale of the stolen Fitbits.

“Modern eCommerce depends modern logistics and supply chains, including many businesses in the Southern District of Indiana. Criminals who abuse their positions of trust to steal from customers and their employers cause harm to our economy and raise prices for everyone,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “I commend our partners at the FBI and our federal prosecutor for their commitment to this case and ensuring that the individual responsible was held accountable. The federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that financial crimes can cause serious harm and can result in serious consequences.”

“Today’s sentence should serve as a strong reminder that the exploitation of online platforms won’t be tolerated. Theft of merchandise not only disrupts the digital marketplace but undermines the trust consumers place in e-commerce platforms,” said FBI Indianapolis Acting Special Agent in Charge Danny Youmara. “The FBI remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure those participating in such schemes are held accountable.”

FBI investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Corbin Houston, who prosecuted this case.

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INDIANAPOLIS— The following eleven defendants have been sentenced for their roles in a large methamphetamine trafficking ring:

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances

Distribution of Methamphetamine

Attempted possession with intent to distribute controlled substances

19 years

5 years supervised release

19 years

5 years supervised release

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances

Distribution of Methamphetamine

Unlawful use of a communication facility

19 years

5 years supervised release

Zachary Polk, 46

Vincennes, Indiana

188 months (15.7 years)

5 years supervised release

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances

Attempted possession with intent to distribute controlled substances

Unlawful use of a communication facility

170 months (14.1 years)

5 years supervised release

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances

Distribution of Methamphetamine

140 months (11.7 years)

5 years supervised release

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances

Attempted possession with intent to distribute controlled substances

80 months (6.7 years)

3 years supervised release

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances

Attempted possession with intent to distribute controlled substances

65 months (5.4 years)

3 years supervised release

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.

Attempted possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

65 months (5.4 years)

3 years supervised release

4 years

1 year supervised release

3 years

1 year supervised release

According to court documents, between September 2021 and November 2022, the defendants conspired together to distribute a total of nearly 400 pounds of methamphetamine, and over seven kilograms of fentanyl.

Romero supervised the organization, and throughout the course of the conspiracy, he and other members assisted the smuggling of methamphetamine and fentanyl from a Mexican drug cartel to the United States. The methods ranged from delivery by the United States Postal Service, commercial land vehicle smuggling, and the use of trains. Romero, Islas-Lozada, and Patino-Romero then supplied the drugs to De Leon, Moore, Polk, and Wright for redistribution to various communities, including out of state. On multiple occasions, Franco-Lopez, Castillo, Perez-Martinez, and Casillas-Martinez assisted Romero by traveling to Iowa, Nebraska, and other locations in the Midwest to smuggle drugs from various trainyards for later circulation.

In late October 2022, Drug Enforcement Administration agents learned that the traffickers were traveling to Nebraska to locate a rail car loaded with drugs by the Mexican cartel. Romero directed the entire operation, which was unsuccessful due to interception by DEA agents. The agents seized over 68 kilograms of methamphetamine and over seven kilograms of fentanyl hidden in a top-side void of the rail car that had been wielded shut.

On December 13, 2022, DEA agents arrested Islas-Lozada and Castillo in their Indianapolis home and located nine black PVC pipes and plastic bags filled with 56 kilograms of methamphetamine. The PVC pipes bore the stamp “HECHO EN MEXICO” (“Made in Mexico”). Erick Romero, the ringleader of the operation, was also arrested that day at his home in Indianapolis. Officers located 10.7 kilograms of methamphetamine and thirteen firearms in the home.

Additionally, several members of the trafficking ring used firearms to protect themselves and their profits. In total, law enforcement officers seized 20 firearms from the defendants during court-authorized searches at multiple locations in Indianapolis.

“International cartels have flooded our communities with poisons, using planes, trains, automobiles, and even the U.S. Mail to smuggle fentanyl and meth into our communities right here in Indiana for local distribution,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Every link in this chain fuels the death and misery touching far too many of our families—and must be dismantled. Thanks to the hard work and cooperation of the DEA, US Postal Inspection Service, IRS-CI, and many other federal, state, and local agencies, this significant drug trafficking organization is out of business and its members are off our streets.”

“I am incredibly proud of the outstanding work that was done by the DEA, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, and the Metropolitan Drug Task Force in this investigation. Additional collaboration with the DEA Special Operations Division assisted agents with the highest levels of investigative techniques allowing agents to fully unravel a sophisticated international drug trafficking organization linked to the Sinaloa Cartel,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Gannon. “This operation has had a significant impact on Indianapolis, Indiana, and the broader Midwest region, resulting in the seizure of hundred-pound quantities of methamphetamine kilogram quantities of fentanyl, and the removal of numerous firearms from our streets. These actions are a big win for all Hoosiers.  I deeply appreciate the strong partnerships that made this critical investigation possible.”  

“Every day, Postal Inspectors work to prevent the mail from being misused by criminals, including large scale Drug Trafficking Organizations,” said USPIS Inspector in Charge Rodney Hopkins. I want to acknowledge the contributions of the officers and agents with our partner agencies, whose relentless efforts not only help us protect the mail, but also our communities from the dangers of these organizations. I also want to thank the Assistant United States Attorneys who supported this investigation.”

The Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division investigated this case. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Lawrence Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives provided valuable assistance. The sentences were imposed by Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. 

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jayson W. McGrath and Lindsay Karwoski, who prosecuted this case.

This case was part of the Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Program and an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

This case is also 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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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INDIANAPOLIS— United States Attorney Zachary A. Myers announced today that he has tendered his resignation to the President and the Attorney General and will conclude his service effective January 18, 2025.

“It has been a privilege to lead this office of talented professionals who strive every day to make the public safer, hold lawbreakers accountable, and ensure that our rights are protected,” said U.S. Attorney Myers. “The rule of law is not self-executing. It requires the hard work and sacrifice of public servants acting with dedication and fairness. Alongside our outstanding law enforcement partners, we sought to maximize our impact for the public’s benefit and always strove to do the right thing the right way. I am so very proud of all we accomplished together and know that the office will continue to do extraordinary work on behalf of the people we serve. I am deeply grateful to the President for nominating me, and to the Attorney General, Senator Young, Former Senator Braun, and Congressman Carson for their support. Serving on behalf of the United States has been the professional honor of a lifetime.”

Under Myers’ leadership, the United States Attorney’s Office successfully implemented his strategic plan, focused on maximizing the impact of the office by bringing cases against the most serious offenses and offenders, expanding the office’s resources, working closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, and increasing community outreach:

Combatting Gun Violence and Other Violent Crimes

Combatting gun violence has been a top priority for the office throughout U.S. Attorney Myers’ tenure. The office has focused on bringing impactful cases against offenders who engage in serial gun crimes and who continue to illegally arm themselves notwithstanding a significant, violent criminal history.

During Myers’s tenure, the office has successfully prosecuted the murders of a mail carrier during the pandemic, a victim of a series of online marketplace robberies, and fellow inmates at the federal prison in Terre Haute. The office has focused on gun trafficking as a source of violence, prosecuting two brothers who manufactured and distributed machine guns intended for ISIS, and offenders who illegally trafficked guns to violent criminals in Indianapolis, Chicago, and allegedly Mexico. The office responded to the illegal proliferation of “Glock switches” and “ghost guns,” securing significant federal prison sentences against criminals who illegally manufactured and trafficked the weapons in Evansville, Franklin, and Indianapolis. U.S. Attorney Myers secured a partnership with the City of Indianapolis to create three Special Assistant U.S. Attorney positions to increase the resources available to federally prosecute armed, violent criminals in the city.

U.S. Attorney Myers prioritized the office’s LEATH Initiative, a partnership initiated in 2020 to focus federal prosecution resources on illegally armed domestic abusers in honor of IMPD Officer Breann Leath, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic violence call. Over the past three years, the office has brought significant cases, securing serious federal prison sentences for illegally armed domestic abusers. U.S. Attorney Myers and prosecutors in the office have increased outreach to better inform domestic violence service providers, law enforcement, and local prosecutors and judges about federal gun laws and the office’s commitment to addressing domestic gun violence through federal prosecution.

Disrupting the Trafficking of Deadly Drugs

The acceleration of drug overdoses caused thousands of deaths and tremendous suffering in Indiana and nationwide, largely fueled by the explosion in the availability of synthetic opioids like fentanyl, manufactured by cartels based in Mexico and smuggled into the United States. Under U.S. Attorney Myers, the office has focused its efforts on disrupting the trafficking of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other deadly drugs by targeting the traffickers causing the most harm in our communities. Working closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, the office successfully dismantled prolific drug trafficking conspiracies, took down a drug trafficking outlaw motorcycle gang, and prosecuted traffickers responsible for pumping poisons into neighborhoods from Kokomo, to Indianapolis, to Evansville. The office targeted significant traffickers who were responsible for bringing fentanyl from Mexico into our communities, armed themselves with arsenals including with machineguns, and engaged in violence including dog fighting.

Working closely with our partners at the DEA and other law enforcement agencies, the office sought justice for deaths resulting from fentanyl trafficking, including drugs sold through social media, and allegedly causing the death of a toddler and near-fatal overdose of an infant. U.S. Attorney Myers worked closely with our community and law enforcement partners on numerous community outreach and engagement efforts to spread awareness of the dangers of counterfeit fentanyl pills, and that “One Pill Can Kill.”

Fighting Hate and Discrimination

As U.S. Attorney, Myers prioritized protecting federal civil rights, significantly expanding staffing and outreach to prosecute hate crimes and stop illegal discrimination. Myers and the office’s civil rights attorneys have led the United Against Hate initiative, educating communities across the district about the Department of Justice’s enforcement efforts and how to report hate and bias incidents. Under U.S. Attorney Myers, the office successfully prosecuted a violent hate crime against an Asian-American student and antisemitic death threats against offices of the Anti-Defamation League. The office also secured court orders halting unlawful discrimination against a police officer with HIV and a Muslim group seeking to build a religious seminary and residential housing.

Protecting Children from Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking

U.S. Attorney Myers prioritized prosecution of heinous criminals who sexually exploited and trafficked our children. Under his leadership, the office worked closely with Indiana’s nationally-renowned Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and other law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute the predators who seek gratification through abuse of the most vulnerable. Under U.S. Attorney Myers’ leadership, the office prosecuted pedophiles who identified and groomed their victims using online platforms and games including Roblox, Snapchat, Instagram, and Kik. The office secured decades-long prison sentences against a man who solicited a hitman to murder his child victim and her family, two predators who conspired to sexually exploit a child they drugged with methamphetamine, parents who recorded themselves sexually abusing their baby, and a couple who conspired with Jared Fogle to sexually exploit children.

U.S. Attorney Myers and the office’s prosecutors also worked to expand the office’s efforts to fight human trafficking, bringing impactful prosecutions against pimps and abusers who trafficked children for sex, and investing significant resources in outreach including hosting a two-day training seminar for law enforcement and victim organizations.

Holding Public Officials Accountable for Violations of Public Trust

Government officials who engage in corruption betray the public’s trust in furtherance of personal gain. Law enforcement officers who violate Hoosiers’ civil rights betray the public’s trust and erode support for their sisters and brothers who serve honorably. Under U.S. Attorney Myers, federal prosecutors successfully disrupted a culture of public corruption in Muncie’s City Hall and held three former Indiana state legislators accountable for taking bribes and illegal campaign contributions from casino companies.

U.S. Attorney Myers’ significantly increased the resources dedicated to investigating and prosecuting law enforcement officers engaged in police brutality, and under his leadership the office secured serious prison sentences for five Muncie police officers responsible for a series of illegal beatings and their attempted coverup, an IMPD Sergeant who stomped on the head of a defenseless arrestee on Monument Circle, and a New Castle police Lieutenant who assaulted three defenseless men causing serious injuries, including a fractured spine.

Combatting Frauds Against Individuals, Businesses, and the Government

Under U.S. Attorney Myers’ leadership, the office prioritized criminal prosecution and civil enforcement of fraud and abuse targeting government programs, small businesses, and vulnerable individuals. The office worked with its law enforcement and Justice Department partners to bring indictments in an alleged $45 million fraudulent virtual school scheme, dismantle a nationwide “grandparent scam,” hold an insurance broker accountable for a multi-million dollar “Ponzi” scheme, and aggressively pursue civil enforcement including recovering $345 million from a hospital system alleged to have illegally overpaid doctors to incentivize referrals.

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During his tenure as U.S. Attorney, Myers served in additional leadership roles including as chair of the Attorney General’s Advisory Subcommittee on Cyber and Intellectual Property and as a member of various committees and working groups developing policy and addressing issues relating to cybercrime and technology. Myers regularly spoke to public and private sector groups about cybercrime, cybersecurity, and the importance of working with federal law enforcement in responding to a critical cyber incident.

Before assuming office as U.S. Attorney, Myers spent more than a decade as an AUSA in the Southern District of Indiana and the District of Maryland focused on cyber- and technology-facilitated offenses. He earned his undergraduate degree from Stanford University, graduate degree from George Washington University, and law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center. Before becoming a federal prosecutor, Myers worked in the private sector and on Capitol Hill. Myers grew up in Indianapolis and is the first Black person to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the district.

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Upon U.S. Attorney Myers’ departure, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Childress will serve as Acting U.S. Attorney under the Vacancies Reform Act.

Mr. Childress first joined the Department of Justice as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in 2001. He previously served as both First Assistant United States Attorney and Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana and the Central District of Illinois.

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EVANSVILLE— Arties Dushawn Brown., 35, of Evansville, Indiana, has been sentenced to fifteen years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to court documents, on April 2, 2023, Evansville Police officers were called to a residential area in response to a report of shots being fired. The 911 caller claimed that a man wearing a black jacket, white hat, white shoes, and a camouflage jacket was walking down the street and fired a gun into the air. When officers arrived on scene, they found a spent shell casing at the same location the caller claimed the shot was fired from.

Officers located Arties Brown wearing the same clothes as the reported shooter and with a black firearm hanging out of his pants pocket. Officers ordered Brown to show his hands. Instead, Brown disregarded the orders and fled through an outdoor apartment hallway. Brown tossed the firearm away, jumped a residential fence, entered a backyard and approached the homeowner while repeating “change of clothes.” The homeowner gave Brown a change of clothes.

After a short time, officers located and arrested Brown wearing the new change of clothes. The firearm Brown threw was found lying in a neighbor’s backyard and was still loaded.

At the time of this arrest, Brown had sustained multiple felony convictions, including three separate counts of burglary and battery by means of a deadly weapon, as well as a misdemeanor conviction for domestic battery. These convictions prohibit Brown from ever legally possessing a firearm again.

“Illegally armed domestic abusers pose a significant danger to everyone close to them, our law enforcement officers, and our communities as a whole,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “That’s why we have prioritized federal prosecution of illegally armed individuals with a history of domestic violence. Our office will continue to partner with the ATF and local task forces in Evansville and all across our district to ensure that the most dangerous armed offenders are taken off our streets.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.

This case was brought as part of the LEATH Initiative (Law Enforcement Action to Halt Domestic Violence), named in honor of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Officer Breann Leath, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic disturbance call.  A partnership among the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the IMPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, the LEATH Initiative focuses federal, state, and local law enforcement resources on domestic violence offenders who illegally possess firearms.

INDIANAPOLIS— Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana issued the following statement on the retirement of Assistant United States Attorney, James M. Warden.

“Jim Warden is one of the finest and most dedicated public servants I’ve had the privilege to know. Throughout his career he has demonstrated tremendous commitment to the protecting the public, and holding offenders accountable for the harm they cause in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Myers. “Jim took on many of the most complex and serious prosecutions our office handled, working to master technical issues while representing the United States with unfailing civility and wit. Several generations of prosecutors, professional staff, and agents have benefited from his mentorship, wise counsel, and generosity with his time. I wish Jim and his family nothing but the best in his next chapter and am fortunate to call him a friend.”

Mr. Warden is a native of Bloomington and began serving as an U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana on May 20, 1985, after being selected by then-U.S. Attorney John D. Tinder. Warden retires as the longest-ever serving attorney in the Office’s ninety-seven-year history. His tremendous career spanned seven different Presidentially appointed U.S. Attorneys and twelve Presidentially appointed Attorneys General.

As a federal prosecutor, Warden led investigations and prosecutions of a wide variety of offenses, specializing in prosecution of criminal tax violations, complex frauds, violent crime, and public corruption. Throughout his illustrious career, James Warden has led the Office in prosecuting many ‘firsts,’ including the office’s first money laundering and currency transaction structuring cases.

In 1999, Warden secured the district’s first car-jacking conviction. Warden prosecuted numerous bank robbers, including the Curry Brothers, who robbed four Indiana banks in 2008 and stole over a million dollars before being convicted and sent to federal prison—Daniel Curry was sentenced to 90 years after his conviction at trial.

Warden secured major convictions against many public officials, including former Marion County Chief Deputy Prosecutor David Wyser, who accepted a $2,500 bribe in exchange for approving the early release of a convicted killer in 2013. Warden also served for many years as the office’s lead prosecutor for criminal offenses arising from the Bureau of Prisons’ Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, including murders, assaults against staff, official corruption, and trafficking of weapons and other contraband offenses.

In addition to his accomplishments as a federal prosecutor Warden founded and chaired the Indiana Bank Fraud Working Group for 35 years, led several other financial crime task forces, and mentored and trained many colleagues and investigators along the way.

Warden earned his undergraduate degree from Indiana University-Bloomington in 1974, and his law degree from the Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis in 1977. He began his legal career as a municipal court public defender in Marion County, before serving for two years as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for Hancock County. He served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for Marion County from 1979 until joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, where he held several supervisory and leadership positions, including as lead prosecutor for the white-collar crime unit and grand jury division. Warden proudly and honorably served his country for over thirty years in the United States Navy, rising to the rank of Captain and serving as a military judge.

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INDIANAPOLIS— Jennifer Lynn Horton., 49, of Shepherdsville, Kentucky has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release after pleading guilty to two counts of wire fraud.

According to court documents, between 2011 and 2022, Jennifer Horton worked as the office manager for a family-owned contracting company located in Greenfield, Indiana. In that role, Horton was responsible for managing payroll, customer invoices, and company credit cards.

Beginning around January 2016, and continuing through December 2022, Horton devised and executed multiple schemes to brazenly defraud her employer of over a million dollars. First, by inflating her salary on 466 separate occasions, for a total of $515,000, without approval. In addition, in December 2020, Horton added her husband to the company’s payroll even though he had not been hired as a salaried employee. During that time, Horton stole an additional $107,000 under the guise of her husband’s name.

To conceal her conduct, Horton edited the company’s payroll data to make it appear that she was being paid her agreed-upon salary and to delete the payments to her husband. After the edited data was approved, Horton reverted the payroll system to make the unauthorized payments to herself and her husband. Horton misled her boss about the company’s financial reports, resulting in significant financial strain on the company when the true information was discovered.

Horton also redirected credit card payments made by the company’s customers into her own personal bank account over 185 times. She concealed the theft by altering the company’s accounting records to delete invoices or falsely mark them as being paid in full to the company.

Finally, Horton abused the company credit card to pay personal bills and make personal purchases, including a house, cars, and clothes. In total, Horton stole approximately $1,116,258 from her employer.

In addition to her prison sentence, the court ordered the forfeiture of her interest in four vehicles—a 2022 Ford F350, a 2022 Ford Mustang, a 2021 Ford Mustang, and a 2020 Ford EcoSport—and that she pay a judgment of $1,002,2680.

“This criminal abused her friendships and position of trust to swindle a family-owned company out of over a million dollars,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Family entrepreneurs are a critical driver of our economy, and fraud schemes against them harm those companies, their employees, and our community as a whole, and this serious federal prison sentence should send the message that this conduct will not be tolerated. My thanks to our partners in Hancock County and at the FBI for ensuring that there is accountability for economic crimes.”

“Holding individuals accountable for financial crimes like this is essential to protecting the integrity of our businesses and communities,” said Hancock County Prosecutor Brent Eaton. “This case serves as a reminder that accountability for the defendant and justice for the victim are crucial in preventing fraud. I would like to thank the dedicated staff of the Hancock County Prosecutor’s Office and Sheriff’s Department, the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Detective Douglas Cook for their exceptional work and collaboration on this case.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case, with valuable assistance provided by the Hancock County Prosecutor’s Office and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Corbin Houston, who prosecuted this case.

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United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers, announced today that the Office Asset Recovery Unit collected $33,855,363 in asset forfeiture and financial litigation debt in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $18,840,034.68 was collected through enforcement of criminal restitution debts and civil collections, and $15,015,329 resulted from criminal and civil forfeiture actions.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is dedicated to protecting the public and recovering funds for the victims of crime,” said U.S. Attorney Myers. “We are proud to have partnered with so many local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to compensate victims and hold criminals financially accountable.”

The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to crime victims in federal cases. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelese Woods, Chief of the Office’s Civil Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Rota, Chief of the Office’s Asset Recovery Unit, as well as the Office’s outstanding support professionals and attorneys for their diligent efforts to uphold the law, hold wrongdoers accountable, and recover funds for victims of crime.

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INDIANAPOLIS- 2024 Indiana congressional candidate, Gabriel Whitley, 27, of Indianapolis, has agreed to plead guilty to lying to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) by fabricating contributions purportedly made to his campaign, “Honest Gabe for Congress,” for the purpose of falsely portraying that his campaign had significantly greater support and financial resources than it actually did.

According to court documents, Gabriel Whitley ran in the primary election for Indiana’s Seventh Congressional District and served as the treasurer of his campaign committee. Whitley admitted that he lied to the FEC in three separate reports about hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions from supporters and loans from himself. Specifically, Whitley admitted that in October 2023, he falsely claimed that 67 people, whose biographical details he made up, had contributed approximately $222,690 to Honest Gabe for Congress. In January 2024, Whitley again falsely reported contributions from individuals whose biographical details he fabricated. Finally, in April 2024, Whitley falsified a $100,000 loan to his campaign.

Whitley faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He will have a change-of-plea hearing and a sentencing hearing to be scheduled at later times. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Brent Wible, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; First Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Childress for the Southern District of Indiana; and Special Agent in Charge Herbert Stapleton of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Indianapolis Field Office is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Jacob R. Steiner of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Preston of the Southern District of Indiana are prosecuting the case.

All defendants are presumed innocent until they plead guilty or are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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INDIANAPOLIS— Aaron Jason Strong, 47, a former Lieutenant with the New Castle Police Department, was sentenced today to 151 months in prison for using excessive force against people in custody and obstructing justice by attempting to deceive investigators.

On Oct. 4, 2024, a federal jury convicted Strong of three counts of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of witness tampering. At trial, evidence introduced by the government established that Strong had intentionally used excessive force against people in police custody on multiple occasions.

“The severe sentence imposed on this former law enforcement official should send a clear message: ‘street justice’ has no place in 21st-century policing and violators will be held accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.  “The vicious and lawless abuse that Aaron Strong perpetrated has no place in modern law enforcement. This sentence reflects the senseless cruelty of the defendant’s conduct, the serious physical injuries inflicted on victims and the harms to society when those entrusted with public authority arrogate to themselves the power to mete out summary punishment.”

“Aaron Strong viciously beat, stomped, and shot three defenseless men with no lawful justification—causing serious injuries including a fractured spine,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “After good officers horrified by these abuses reported his actions, Strong lied in an attempt to cover up his crimes. The vast majority of police serve the public honorably, and when criminals like Aaron Strong violate their oaths and brutalize the public, an already difficult and dangerous profession grows even more so. Our U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice, together with our partners at the FBI and Indiana State Police, are committed to doing the work necessary to earn and keep the trust of the public. The serious prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that there are consequences for police brutality, because no one is above the law.”

Evidence presented at trial established that, in August 2019, then-Lieutenant Strong responded to another officer’s report of a foot chase. As Strong arrived, the suspect stopped running, put his hands up, said “I’m done” and lowered himself to the ground. As another officer approached to take the suspect into custody, Strong ran up and struck the suspect at least twelve times with a metal police baton, nearly striking a fellow officer. Other involved officers promptly reported the incident, and the Indiana State Police were called in to conduct an independent criminal investigation. During a meeting with the State Police investigator, Strong gave a false account of the incident in which he minimized his own use of force and exaggerated the danger posed by the suspect.

Strong was also convicted of using excessive force against two men being detained pending trial in a low-security annex of the Henry County, Indiana, jail. While assisting correctional officers with a dormitory search, Strong stomped on the head of a detainee who was complying with commands to lie on the ground. A few moments later, Strong approached a second inmate, who was kneeling, not moving, with his back to Strong, and shot him point-blank in the back with a less-lethal “beanbag” round, which Strong had been trained could cause death or serious bodily injury when used at short ranges. The impact from the round fractured the detainee’s spine.

The FBI Indianapolis Field Office and Indiana State Police investigated the case, with assistance from the New Castle Police Department. The sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter A. Blackett and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, who prosecuted this case.

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A former Lieutenant with the New Castle, Indiana, Police Department was sentenced today to 151 months in prison for using excessive force against people in custody and obstructing justice by attempting to deceive investigators.

On Oct. 4, 2024, a federal jury convicted Aaron Jason Strong, 47, of three counts of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of witness tampering. At trial, evidence introduced by the government established that Strong had intentionally used excessive force against people in police custody on multiple occasions.

“The severe sentence imposed on this former law enforcement official should send a clear message: ‘street justice’ has no place in 21st-century policing and violators will be held accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.  “The vicious and lawless abuse that Aaron Strong perpetrated has no place in modern law enforcement. This sentence reflects the senseless cruelty of the defendant’s conduct, the serious physical injuries inflicted on victims and the harms to society when those entrusted with public authority arrogate to themselves the power to mete out summary punishment.”

“Aaron Strong viciously beat, stomped, and shot three defenseless men with no lawful justification — causing serious injuries including a fractured spine,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana. “After good officers horrified by these abuses reported his actions, Strong lied in an attempt to cover up his crimes. The vast majority of police serve the public honorably, and when criminals like Aaron Strong violate their oaths and brutalize the public, an already difficult and dangerous profession grows even more so. Our U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Justice Department, together with our partners at the FBI and Indiana State Police, are committed to doing the work necessary to earn and keep the trust of the public. The serious prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that there are consequences for police brutality, because no one is above the law.”

“This sentence underscores the FBI’s commitment to holding law enforcement officers accountable when they violate the rights of individuals,” said Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office. “Law enforcement officers take an oath to serve and protect the public and when that trust is violated, it erodes the integrity of those who serve honorably every day. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to protect the civil rights of the public and ensure those who abuse their power are held responsible.”

Evidence presented at trial established that, in August 2019, then-Lieutenant Strong responded to another officer’s report of a foot chase. As Strong arrived, the suspect stopped running, put his hands up, said “I’m done” and lowered himself to the ground. As another officer approached to take the suspect into custody, Strong ran up and struck the suspect at least 12 times with a metal police baton, nearly striking a fellow officer. Other involved officers promptly reported the incident, and the Indiana State Police were called in to conduct an independent criminal investigation. During a meeting with the State Police investigator, Strong gave a false account of the incident in which he minimized his own use of force and exaggerated the danger posed by the suspect.

Strong was also convicted of using excessive force against two men being detained pending trial in a low-security annex of the Henry County, Indiana, jail. While assisting correctional officers with a dormitory search, Strong stomped on the head of a detainee who was complying with commands to lie on the ground. A few moments later, Strong approached a second inmate, who was kneeling, not moving, with his back to Strong, and shot him point-blank in the back with a less-lethal “beanbag” round, which Strong had been trained could cause death or serious bodily injury when used at short ranges. The impact from the round fractured the detainee’s spine.

The FBI Indianapolis Field Office and Indiana State Police investigated the case, with assistance from the New Castle Police Department.

Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Blackett for the Southern District of Indiana are prosecuting the case.

INDIANAPOLIS— George Tracy, 21, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 159 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

According to court documents, on November 22, 2022, George Tracy robbed the Mobile gas station located on Central Ave in Indianapolis, Indiana. During the robbery, Tracy shot his firearm on three occasions in the direction of the employee behind the counter and stole approximately two-hundred dollars from the register. The final shot fired hit the employee in the left upper leg, resulting in hospitalization. After shooting the victim, Tracy told him to “have a good day bro.”

The robbery and shooting were recorded on video surveillance. Officers conducted a search of Tracy’s home and located the firearm that was used during the robbery and the clothes Tracy was seen wearing in the surveillance footage.

“Our hearts go out to the victim of this senseless shooting, who will carry the scars and trauma from this vicious crime for the rest of their life,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Armed, violent criminals like this man rob the entire community of our sense of safety and security in our workplaces. The serious federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that these crimes will not be tolerated by federal law enforcement. Working closely with our partners at the FBI, IMPD, and all of our law enforcement partners, our federal prosecutors will continue to bring cases targeting these serious offenders as we seek to reduce gun violence.”

FBI and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy C. Fugate, who prosecuted this case. 

This case is 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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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EVANSVILLE— Ronald Jeremy McCallister, 51, of Evansville, has been sentenced to 200 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.

According to court documents, on August 23, 2023, Evansville Police Department officers were called to a home in Evansville in response to a report of gunshots in the area. The officers were later advised that a woman had been shot by her ex-boyfriend, Ronald McCallister.

When officers arrived at the house, they found the woman in the backyard, near a tent, with a gunshot wound to her left ankle. The woman told officers that McCallister had been sending her suicidal messages through Facebook Messenger. After receiving the suicidal messages, she drove to the house where McCallister had been living in a tent in the backyard, hoping to offer him support. The conversation quickly escalated into an argument, at which point McCallister pulled out a gun and placed it next to the woman’s head. McCallister fired one round next to her face, and then pointed the gun at her foot and fired. He then went inside the house, leaving the woman on the ground in the backyard.

During a search of the home, officers found McCallister hiding in a bedroom. They also located McCallister’s gun, a loaded 9mm handgun.

McCallister has a lengthy criminal record, including felony convictions for domestic battery, robbery resulting in bodily injury, battery by means of a deadly weapon, and armed robbery. These previous felony convictions prohibit McCallister from ever legally possessing a firearm ever again.

“We have prioritized federal prosecution of armed domestic abusers because of the extreme danger they pose to those in their homes and the public at large,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The victim in this case will be protected from her abuser for many years, because of the excellent work of EPD, the ATF, and our federal prosecutor. This sentence should serve as a warning anyone who is involved in domestic violence and illegally armed: get rid of the guns or risk a long term in federal prison.”

“It unfortunately bears repeating that we all deserve to be safest with our closest partners, but for too many that is not the case,” stated Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute domestic abusers who possess firearms to ensure our communities are safe from these offenders.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Miller, who prosecuted this case.

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EVANSVILLE— Brandon Alford, 47, of Washington, Indiana, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, after pleading guilty to wire fraud, money laundering, and five counts of tax evasion. Alford has also been ordered to pay $1,006,500 in restitution to the victim, and $319,793.02 in restitution to the IRS.

According to court documents, between 2017 and 2023, Alford was employed as a service writer for a heavy equipment supplier located in Indiana. In this role, he acted as a liaison between customers and service providers, one of which was a machine parts retailer located in Indiana that occasionally sold parts to Alford’s employer.

In 2017, Alford devised a scheme to defraud his employer by creating a fake company, A&D Distributing LLC. He convinced a manager at the retailer to sell machine parts to his employer through A&D Distributing, positioning the retailer as a middleman. Alford claimed he would handle all logistics, including shipping the parts to his employer, while the retailer would simply invoice the employer for the parts, plus a profit margin.

Between December 2017 and January 2023, Alford submitted 25 fraudulent invoices to the retailer for parts that were never ordered or delivered. The retailer paid Alford $939,500 through 22 wire transfers to A&D Distributing’s account. The retailer then invoiced Alford’s employer based on these false invoices, resulting in the employer paying a total of $1,006,500 for non-existent parts.

Alford exploited his position at the company where he worked to ensure the fraudulent invoices were approved and paid, despite no parts ever being delivered.

Additionally, Alford attempted to cover his tracks by willfully failing to report the income derived from the fraud scheme for tax years 2017 through 2022, thereby causing a tax loss of $253,459.00. For each tax year, Alford took affirmative actions to evade the government, including preparing, signing, and filing false federal income tax returns, using a business bank account in the name of A&D Distributing to receive the fraud proceeds, and structuring transactions to avoid the filing of certain transaction reports.

“This defendant abused his position of trust and professional relationships to steal a million dollars from his unsuspecting employer, cheat on his taxes, and cover up his crimes,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Trusted insiders can cause tremendous damage to businesses large and small when they choose to lie and steal. Combatting economic crimes on behalf of Hoosier businesses and individuals is a top priority of federal law enforcement, and the serious prison sentence imposed here demonstrates the commitment of IRS-CI, FBI, and our federal prosecutors to aggressively prosecute financial offenses and hold fraudsters and tax cheats accountable.”

“Tax evasion and financial fraud undermine trust and hurt real people,” said Ramsey E. Covington, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Office of IRS-Criminal Investigation. “Brandon Alford’s fraudulent scheme caused significant harm to his employer and evaded taxes owed to the government. IRS-CI will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to hold criminals accountable for their actions.”

“These are not victimless crimes. The defendant chose to intentionally create a false business and abuse his position of trust with his employer for his own personal gain and this sentence should serve as a deterrent to others,” said Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office. “The FBI will continue to aggressively pursue those who seek to defraud others and ensure they are held accountable.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Miller, who prosecuted this case.

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An Indiana woman was sentenced today to 72 months in prison and three years of supervised release for committing a federal hate crime.

On Sept. 17, Billie Davis, 57, pleaded guilty to willfully causing bodily injury to a victim, identified in court papers only by her initials, Z.F., through the use of a dangerous weapon (a knife), because of Z.F.’s actual and perceived race and national origin.

“Racially motivated violence has no place in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant pulled out a knife and viciously attacked a young woman who was simply riding a public bus to school, seriously injuring her because she was of Chinese descent. The sentence imposed for this heinous hate crime should send a strong message that perpetrators of hate-fueled violence will be held accountable. The Justice Department is committed to protecting every American from hate crimes by investigating and vigorously prosecuting those who carry out such heinous attacks.”

“Every person deserves to feel safe in their own community, and no one should be made to fear violence on their way to school simply because of who they are,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana. “Violent hate should have no safe harbor in Indiana or anywhere in our great country. That’s why our Justice Department has prioritized prosecution of hate crimes and community outreach through our United Against Hate initiative. In recent years we’ve sadly seen an increase of bias crimes targeting people of Asian descent, and the serious federal prison sentence imposed here should demonstrate our commitment to stopping this hate. Anyone who has suffered a potentially hate-based violent incident should call 911 to address immediate safety issues, and then report the event to the Justice Department or FBI. Together we can make our community safer for everyone.”

“The FBI remains committed to protecting the civil rights of all individuals and this case should serve as a reminder that hate fueled actions will not be tolerated,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert “Alex” Middleton of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and ensure those who perpetrate such acts of hate are held accountable.”

According to documents filed in connection with this case, on Jan. 11, 2023, Z.F., a woman of Chinese descent who was enrolled at Indiana University at Bloomington, was riding a Bloomington Transit bus on her way to school. Davis boarded the bus, sitting behind Z.F. As Z.F. stood to exit the bus at her stop, Davis reached for a folding knife from inside her pocket and stabbed Z.F. in the head approximately seven to 10 times. Davis later admitted to the police that she attacked Z.F. because she was Chinese and because Davis believed Z.F. was the “enemy.” Davis used racist slurs when referring to Z.F.

The FBI Indianapolis Field Office, Bloomington Resident Agency, investigated the case, with assistance from the Bloomington Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter A. Blackett for the Southern District of Indiana, Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Trial Attorney Barry Disney of the Criminal Division’s Mental Health Litigation Unit prosecuted the case.