Week in Review—South Bend

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

Pleas:

• Jaleen McGee, 20, of South Bend, Indiana, a defendant in the case U.S. v Shaw et al., pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher Nuechterlein to the felony offense of racketeering. Magistrate Nuechterlein is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea. Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. Sentencing has been set for June 18, 2013.
• Alvin Blade, III, 21, of South Bend, Indiana, a defendant in the case U.S. v Shaw et al., pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher Nuechterlein to the felony offense of carrying a firearm and using a firearm during a drug trafficking crime/crime of violence. Magistrate Nuechterlein is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea. Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. Sentencing has been set for June 13, 2013.

The charges against McGee and Blade were filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the South Bend Police Department. The case in which both are charged is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.

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.

Disposition:

David Dircks, 53, of, South Bend, Indiana, a defendant in the case U.S. v Wells et al., was sentenced by District Judge Robert Miller, Jr. to 114 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to documents filed by the government in this case, Dircks has multiple prior felony convictions including possession of controlled substances (1992, 2004, 2007), forgery (1992), and residential burglary (1996). He has many other convictions as well, including forgery (misdemeanor), criminal trespass, possession of a fraudulent ID card, theft, deceptive practice, false informing, Illinois vehicle code offenses, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana, disorderly conduct, panhandling, hit and run, resisting a police officer, domestic battery, and battery. He committed his federal offenses while he was on probation in LaPorte County, Indiana. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the South Bend Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.