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

PLEA

• Dexter Eugene Howard, 38, of Gary, Indiana pled guilty to the felony offense of bank robbery by force or violence. The magistrate judge 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation. Sentencing has been set for 1/14/2015. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang-Adiga.

DISPOSITIONS

• Melissa Yates, 38, of Michigan City, Indiana was sentenced to two-years of probation and to pay $44,214.18 in restitution after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. According to documents filed in this case, between 12/2005 and July/2009, Yates and Theodis Lanfair were involved with others in an insurance fraud scheme. These individuals and others staged automobile accidents in Northwest Indiana and Chicago which resulted in claims and other documents being sent through the United States Mail. . This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Toi Houston.
• Theodis Lanfair, 33, of Grand Prairie, Texas was sentenced to two-years of probation and to pay $58,229.48 in restitution after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. According to documents filed in this case, between 12/2005 and July/2009, Theodis Lanfair and Yates were involved with others in an insurance fraud scheme. These individuals and others staged automobile accidents in Northwest Indiana and Chicago which resulted in claims and other documents being sent through the United States Mail. This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Toi Houston.