Week in Review—Hammond

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

Disposition:

Dedrick Bufkin, 20, of Merrillville, Indiana, a defendant in the case U.S. v Toney et al., was sentenced by District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 60 months’ imprisonment and two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. According to documents filed in this case, Diamond Toney established an online relationship with a victim through a dating website. Toney and Bufkin, armed with a gun, met the victim at an arranged site, tied him up with string and duct tape, and ordered him into the trunk of his own vehicle. Toney and Bufkin took money, a cell phone, and wallet from the victim and held him captive in the trunk for approximately five hours before letting him go. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation GRIT Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang-Adiga.