Week in Review—Fort Wayne

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

Pleas (each before Magistrate Judge Roger B. Cosbey):

• Juan Pena, 21, of Sturgis, Michigan, pled guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. The magistrate 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 Lesley Miller-Lowery.
• JD Richey, 65, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, pled guilty to the felony offense of embezzlement of labor organization funds. The magistrate 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 Department of Labor. Sentencing has not been set. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lovita Morris-King.

Dispositions:

• William Sallee, 21, of Ossian, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Theresa L. Springmann to 46 months’ imprisonment, two years’ supervised release, and payment of $703.19 in restitution after pleading guilty to the felony offense of retaliating against a witness, victim, or an informant. According to documents filed in this case, Sallee along with several others, including Tyson Allen (a co-defendant in United States v. Sallee, et al.), assaulted a fellow inmate in Wells County Jail. The motive for the attack was retaliation against an inmate who was perceived as a “snitch” and a cooperator with law enforcement. Sallee, along with several others, threatened the assaulted inmate with further attacks should that perceived cooperation continue. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Geller.