Indictments Returned in Federal Court

HAMMOND, IN—The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following:

Lawrence Williams, 26, currently incarcerated, and Ralph Oliver, 23, of Chicago, Illinois were charged in a superseding indictment with additional counts of committing a Hobbs Act robbery, and conspiracy to commit a Hobbs Act robbery. Williams and Oliver were previously charged with theft of firearms from a federally licensed dealer, and use of a firearm during a federal crime of violence. Oliver was also previously charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. These charges were filed as the 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 David Nozick.

Chopper Loughran, 29, of Lake Station, Indiana, was charged in an indictment with two counts of making false statements in connection with Federal Workers’ Compensation Benefits. Loughran was employed as a United States Postal Service Letter Carrier at the Glen Park, Indiana Station starting on February 2, 2008. On July 18, 2008, she claimed a work-related injury to her right foot. Soon after her injury, the Defendant began submitting Travel Forms in connection with travel that she claimed was medically necessary. Count one of the indictment alleges that Loughran submitted mileage reimbursement claims for medical appointments on dates when she did not actually visit the medical offices; submitted inflated mileage reimbursement claims for medical appointments; and submitted childcare reimbursement claims related to medical appointments on dates that she did not visit those offices. Count two of the indictment alleges that Loughran asserted that she was not self employed or involved in any business enterprise during the timeframes at issue, when, in fact, she operated an eBay business. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Labor-Office of the Inspector General. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Ratcliffe.

Cecil Newell, Jr., 28, of Gary, Indiana, was charged in an indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives HIDTA Task Force. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean Lanter.

George Alfaro, 44, of East Chicago, Indiana, was charged in an indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Gary Police Department. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.

Robert Louis Henson, 65, of Flora, Indiana, was charged in an indictment with four counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Henson was previously convicted of murder in 1976. These charges were filed as the 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 Nicholas Padilla.

Tracey E. Davis, 38, of Michigan City, Indiana, and currently incarcerated, was charged in an indictment with five counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of theft of over 400 pieces of mail addressed to over 100 individuals and businesses located in the counties of Porter, LaPorte, Elkhart, Marshall, and Kosciusko, that had been stolen from multiple mail receptacles which were authorized depositories for mail. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Toi Houston.

Antoine L. Adams, 25, of Gary, Indiana, was charged in an indictment with two counts of distribution of crack cocaine, and one count of possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation GRIT Task Force, and the Indiana State Police. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Ratcliffe.

Sahid Salinas, 33, of Chicago, Illinois, was charged in an indictment with being an illegal alien previously deported from the United States. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Homeland Security Investigations. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang-Adiga.

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.

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.