Week in Review—Hammond

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

Pleas:

Monta Oliver, 36, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to the felony offense of distribution of crack cocaine. Sentencing has been set for September 25, 2013. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Gary Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Armando Salinas.

Regina Cabell, 36, of West Lafayette, Indiana, pled guilty before Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to the felony offense of submitting a claim to Indiana Medicaid for service to an Indiana Medicaid recipient that she did not actually provide and failure to file a 2011 federal income tax return. Sentencing has been set for October 25, 2013. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Berkowitz.

If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Dispositions:

Terrence Benson, 23, of Hammond, Indiana, a defendant in the case U.S. v Puntillo-Raggs et al., was sentenced on July 12, 2013, by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to 12 months of probation and restitution of $4,000 after pleading guilty to the felony offense of passing counterfeit obligations. According to documents filed by the government in this case, Benson passed the counterfeit currency in payment for “purchased” items from the victim store. He later returned many of the items “purchased” with the counterfeit currency in exchange for genuine cash or other things of value. 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.

Tyrone Reynolds, 34, an illegal alien living in Chicago, Illinois, and a defendant in the case U.S. v Blades et al., was re-sentenced by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to 384 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release if not deported after being found guilty at trial of the felony offenses of kidnapping, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, and use of a firearm during a crime of violence in relation to a narcotics offense. According to documents filed in this case, Reynolds and seven others robbed the victim, a self-admitted drug dealer, at his residence in Gary, Indiana. The group looted the victim’s residence, finding over $15,000 in cash. Believing there were more drugs and money they beat the victim and demanded that he cooperate. Eventually, the victim hatched a plan to escape by proposing to Reynolds that he could take the group to a cache of marijuana being stored in Chicago. Reynolds believed the victim and the group decided they would go to the location in Chicago. The victim was able to escape from the vehicle on route to the location and called law enforcement. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Chicago Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Nozick.

Jon Zondor, 71, of Hammond, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 120 months’ imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of child pornography. Zondor was also ordered to pay $500 in restitution to each of two victims. According to documents filed by the government in this case, 9,433 images and 248 videos were found in Zondor’s possession, many of which depicted prepubescent children being caused to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Zondor was convicted of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in 1989. This case resulted from an investigation by members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jill Koster.

Dwayne Crawford, 40, of Merrillville, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior District Judge James Moody to 97 months’ imprisonment and four years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offenses of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and engaging in a monetary transaction with criminally derived property of a value greater than $10,000. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the Internal Revenue Service. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacqueline Jacobs.

Joshua Atwood, 29, of Crown Point, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to 97 months’ imprisonment and 20 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of child pornography involving visual depictions involving a minor who had not attained 12 years of age. This case resulted from an investigation by members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, including the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jill Koster.

Montell Williams, 34, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to 120 months’ imprisonment and eight years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of transporting an individual in interstate commerce with the intent that the individual engage in prostitution. According to documents filed by the government in this case, the Gary Police Department received information from an Illinois citizen who reported her daughter was being held against her will. The investigation subsequent to that initial lead established that Williams, acting as a pimp, was recruiting women into prostitution, advertising them on Internet sites, transporting them across state lines, and using force to ensure they continued to work for him. From 2010 to 2012, the victims resided with Williams in Gary, Indiana, and two different locations in Illinois. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Gary Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jill Koster.