Federal Grand Jury in South Bend Returns Indictments

SOUTH BEND, IN—The United States Attorney’s Office announced that a Grand Jury sitting in South Bend, Indiana, returned the following Indictments on November 9, 2011: Timothy Johnson, 49, of Mishawaka, Indiana, was charged in a one-count indictment with aggravated bank robbery of the 1st Source Bank on South Michigan Street in South Bend, Indiana. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the South Bend Police Department. The case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank E. Schaffer.

Shawn Fox, 27, of South Bend, Indiana, was charged in a one-count Indictment with aggravated bank robbery of the Fifth Third Bank on North Main Street in South Bend, Indiana. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the South Bend Police Department. The case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank E. Schaffer.

Jeffery O. Felix, 27, of South Bend, Indiana, was charged in a three-count indictment with one count possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance; one count possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and one count being a felon in possession of a firearm. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald J. Schmid.

Justin L. Moore, 20, of Peru, Indiana; Chad Neher, 19, of Swayzee, Indiana; and Billy R. Sparks, 62, of Peru, Indiana, were charged in a three-count Indictment. Moore was charged with one count being a felon in possession of a firearm, Neher was charged with one count possession of stolen firearms and Sparks was charged with one count making false statements to federal agents. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald J. Schmid.

Larry E. Roth, 45, of South Bend, Indiana, was charged in a one-count Indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the South Bend Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald J. Schmid.

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.

The United States Attorney’s Office emphasized that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.