Week in Review – Hammond

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

Janice Wiley, 63, of Steger, Illinois, pled guilty before Senior Judge Rudy Lozano to count two of an indictment charging her with possession with intent to distribute hydrocodone/Vicodin. Sentencing has been set for 11/3/11. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion, the Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Diane Berkowitz and Jacqueline Jacobs.

Rachel Castillo, 36, of Grant Park, Illinois, pled guilty before Senior Judge Rudy Lozano to count four of an indictment charging her with possession with intent to distribute hydrocodone/Vicodin in the case U.S. v Wiley et al. Sentencing has been set for 11/4/11.These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion, the Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Diane Berkowitz and Jacqueline Jacobs.

Terrance Casarez, 39, of Chicago Heights, Illinois, pled guilty before Senior Judge Rudy Lozano to count three of an indictment charging him with aiding and abetting and possession with intent to distribute hydrocodone/Vicodin in the case U.S. v Wiley et al. Sentencing has been set for 11/2/11 These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion, the Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation , and the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Diane Berkowitz and Jacqueline Jacobs.

Odell Morris, III, 30, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to one count of an indictment charging him with distribution of crack cocaine. According to the government, the FBI made controlled purchases of crack cocaine from Morris on September 17 and September 27, 2010, in Gary, Indiana, after which approximately $1,400 in cash, over 30 grams of crack cocaine, a digital scale, and other drug dealing paraphernalia was recovered from searches of Morris’s vehicle and residence in Gary, Indiana. In his plea agreement, Morris agreed that he is responsible for the distribution of between 280 and 840 grams of crack cocaine. Morris has prior felony convictions for burglary and aggravated vehicular hijacking. Sentencing has been set for 10/19/11. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean Lanter.

Efrain Hernandez, 26, of Cicero, Illinois, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to count one of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine. Sentencing has been set for 11/18/11. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administrationm and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Homeland Security Investigations. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.

Edmond Coutee, 30, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by Chief Judge Philip Simon to 37 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. 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 Thomas Ratcliffe.

Hugo Garcia, 47, of Chicago, Illinois, pled guilty before Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to count one of a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute cocaine in the case U.S. v Eloy Ortega et al. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang-Adiga.

Timothy Bartruff, 53, of Kouts, Indiana, was sentenced by to 360 months’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release after being found guilty at trial on counts one, two, three and five of a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and distribution of methamphetamine in the case U.S. v Kasper et al. This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Porter County Sheriff’s Office, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, the Valparaiso Police Department, the Kouts Police Department, and the Porter County Prosecutor’s Office. Other agencies that assisted include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Indiana State Police, the Internal Revenue Service, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the Hebron Police Department and the Lake County HIDTA. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David Nozick, Jennifer Chang-Adiga and Joshua Kolar.

David Martin, 32, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Senior Judge James Moody to count one of a superseding indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to the government, on March 8, 2011, the Gary Police arrested Martin after he fled in a vehicle and then on foot from a traffic stop. Police recovered a loaded semi-automatic pistol and a marijuana cigarette from the passenger compartment of Martin’s vehicle. The firearm was determined to have been a stolen firearm. Martin has two prior convictions for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, including a federal drug distribution conviction for which he was recently released from prison following his supervised release having been revoked. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives HIDTA Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean Lanter.

William Rostin, 45, most recently of Crown Point, Indiana, was detained pending trial following being charged in a criminal complaint with the July 8, 2011, robbery of the Fifth Third Bank in Strack & Van Til grocery store in Hammond, Indiana, and the July 11 robbery of the First Financial Bank in the Strack & Van Til grocery store in Highland, Indiana. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in conjunction with local police departments including the Hammond and Highland Police Departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean Lanter.

Arnulfo Hernandez, 21, of Chicago, Illinois, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to count one of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and distribution of methamphetamine. Sentencing has been set for 11/18/11. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Homeland Security Investigations. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.

Anthony Cruz, 32, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Senior Judge James Moody to count one of an indictment charging him 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 is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Padilla.

David Castillo Rendon, 40, of Lafayette, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior Judge James Moody to 121 months’ imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release, if not subject to deportation, after pleading guilty to counts one and two of an indictment charging him with receiving child pornography, and illegal reentry into the United States. This case was the result of an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Homeland Security Investigations, and the Lafayette Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jill Koster.

Alejandro Briseno, 20, of Hammond, Indiana, pled guilty before Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to count one of an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Sentencing has been set for 10/11/11. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives HIDTA Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Nozick.

Marvin Mallett, 38, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 14 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. 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.

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.