Week in Review – Hammond

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

James Donald, 23, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to count two of an indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute marijuana. On March 29, 2011, Lake County community corrections officers conducted a search of Donald’s residence in Gary, Indiana, and recovered 202 net grams of marijuana. Donald thereafter provided a statement indicated he intended to sell the marijuana. At the time of his offense, Donald was also work release following an unrelated felony conviction for receiving stolen property conviction. Sentencing has been set for 12/8/11. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives HIDTA Task Force and the Gary Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean Lanter.

Alejandro Marquez, 29, of Chicago, Illinois, pled guilty before Senior Judge James T. Moody to count one of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute marijuana. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration HIDTA Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.

Edward Daniels, 51, of Hammond, Indiana, pled guilty before Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to count one of an indictment charging him with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a narcotics offense and possession with intent to distribute heroin. Sentencing has been set for 11/8/11. 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 David Nozick.

Jimmie Woods, 69, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to count seven of a superseding indictment charging him with distribution of heroin. The ATF executed a search warrant on Woods’ Gary residence on April 30, 2009 and recovered approximately 60 grams of heroin, drug packaging material, nine firearms, and ammunition.

Woods has prior felony convictions for armed robbery, intimidation, habitual offender, felon in possession of a handgun, and theft. Sentencing has been set for 11/28/11. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Gary Police Department and the Indiana State Police. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean Lanter.

Hunter Benjamin Moll, 22, of Muncie, Indiana, pled guilty before Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to count one of an indictment charging him with possession with the intent to distribute marijuana. Sentencing has been set for 11/8/11. 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 David Nozick.

Andrew Maldonado, 35, of Hobart, Indiana, pled guilty before Senior Judge James T. Moody to count one of an indictment charging him with possession with the intent to distribute marijuana. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration HIDTA Task Force, and the Lake Station Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang-Adiga.

Felicia Sallay, 36, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by Judge Rudy Lozano to five months’ imprisonment, with credit for time served, and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to count one of an indictment charging her with passing of falsely made and counterfeited obligations of the United States, being $100.00 Federal Reserve Notes in the case U.S. v Cokes et al. This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Randall Stewart.

Darren Higgenbottom, 43, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by Judge Rudy Lozano to two months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to count one of an indictment charging him with passing of falsely made and counterfeited obligations of the United States, being $100.00 Federal Reserve Notes in the case U.S. v Cokes et al. This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Randall Stewart.

Jermaine Wells, 23, of Chicago, Illinois, pled guilty before Judge Rudy Lozano to count one of an indictment charging him with passing of falsely made and counterfeited obligations of the United States, being $100.00 Federal Reserve Notes in the case U.S. v Cokes et al. This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Randall Stewart.

Clinton Shoemaker, 31, of Crown Point, 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. Sentencing has been set for 11/16/11. 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.

Chad Skwiat, 25, of Michigan City, Indiana, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to count four of an indictment charging him with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Sentencing has been set for 11/28/11. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.

Elbert Nicholson, 22, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Chief Judge Philip Simon to count four of an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Sentencing has been set for 11/28/11. 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.

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.