Activity in Federal Court – Hammond

HAMMOND, IN—The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in federal court:

Charles Edward Porter, 35, of the 2100 block of W. 8th Avenue, Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior Judge James Moody to 21 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to count three of an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Porter was previously convicted of criminal recklessness. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Padilla.

Raul Ramirez, 29, of the 100 block of James Road, Griffith, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior Judge Rudy Lozano to 12 months and one day imprisonment and two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to count of an indictment charging with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Ramirez was previously convicted of possession of cocaine. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Nozick.

David Lee Runyan, 36, of the 4900 block of Cedar, Hammond, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior Judge James Moody to 63 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to count one of an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Runyan was previously convicted of robbery and burglary in 1996. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Hammond Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Padilla.

Shaton Smith, 27, of the 400 block of Polk Street, Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior Judge James Moody to 12 months and one day imprisonment and two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to count one of an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Smith was previously convicted of possession of a controlled substance. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives HIDTA Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Padilla.

Rigoberto Banuelos, 44, of Lynwood, Illinois, pled guilty before Senior Judge James Moody to count one of a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute narcotics and marijuana in the case US v Crawford et al. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives/HIDTA Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacqueline Jacobs.

Michael Thomas Wilson, 26, of the 200 block of Marcliffe Drive North, Valparaiso, Indiana, pled guilty before Senior Judge Rudy Lozano to counts one, two and three of an indictment charging him with distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Indiana State Police, the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Porter County Sheriff’s Department, and the Office of the Indiana Attorney General. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jill Trumbull-Harris.

The specific sentence in each case to be imposed upon conviction will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.