Week in Review—Fort Wayne

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

Pleas:

• Deangelo Copeland, 35, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Roger B. Cosbey to the felony offenses of armed bank robbery and carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Magistrate Cosbey is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea. Parties have 14 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Sentencing has not been set. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Geller.
• Amanda McBride, 31, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Roger B. Cosbey to the felony offense of maintaining a drug-involved premise. Magistrate Cosbey is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea. Parties have 14 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Sentencing has not been set. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Geller.
• Brandon Peters, 25, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Roger B. Cosbey to the felony offense of robbery of a controlled substance and use of firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Magistrate Cosbey is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea. Parties have 14 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Fort Wayne Police Department, and the Allen County Sherriff’s Department. Sentencing has not been set. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Geller.
• Contrel Johnson, 23, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Roger B. Cosbey to the felony offense of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Magistrate Cosbey is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea. Parties have 14 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Sentencing has not been set. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lovita Morris-King.

Dispositions:

• Arturo DeLuna, 46, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Theresa L. Springmann to serve 37 months’ imprisonment, with two years’ supervised release, after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. According to documents filed in this case, DeLuna was involved in distributing kilograms of cocaine in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller-Lowery.
• Nicholas Zimmerman, 29, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Roger B. Cosbey to three years of probation and to serve eight months on home detention after pleading guilty to the felony offense of receiving stolen property. According to documents filed in this case, the United States Marine Corps were notified of Zimmerman being in possession of a mortar artillery round. Zimmerman intended to keep the artillery for his own personal possession or for profit via selling. This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Marines and the Fort Wayne Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Geller.
• John Bennett, 36, of Sturgis, Michigan was sentenced by District Judge Theresa L. Springmann to serve 21 months’ imprisonment, with three years’ supervised release, after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine use of a communication facility, telephone, to facilitate in conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to documents filed in this case, between July 2011 and February 2013, a large-scale narcotics distribution conspiracy existed and operated in northeastern Indiana and southern lower Michigan. Bennett was obtaining quantities of methamphetamine from individuals within the distributorship for distribution to his customers. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Safe Streets Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller Lowery.