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

Plea

• Robert Barker, 28, of Calumet City, Illinois pled guilty to the felony offense of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Sentencing has been set for 9/9/2014. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang-Adiga.

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

• Rhonda Murphy, 38, of Gary, Indiana was sentenced to two year term of probation to include six months home confinement after pleading guilty to the felony offense of tax fraud. According to documents filed in this case, Murphy prepared and filed fraudulent tax returns to obtain grossly inflated refunds for clients. This case was the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jill Koster.
• Jeanetta Brown, 33, of Markham, Illinois was sentenced to two years’ probation, with a special condition of six months home detention after pleading guilty to the felony offense of making false statements regarding her residence address and state of residence in connection with the purchase of firearms. According to documents filed in this case, on January 31, 2013, Brown purchased two firearms at a federal firearms dealer in Gary, Indiana, and in so doing represented on the firearms paperwork to purchase the firearms that she was living at a residence in East Chicago, Indiana, when in truth and fact she was at that time a resident of Illinois. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean Lanter.
• Sandra Hatton Mills, 64, of Lafayette, Indiana was sentenced to a one year term of probation to include six months of home confinement after pleading guilty to the felony offense of filing a false tax return. According to documents filed in this case, Mills failed to report to the IRS approximately $223,000 in income from her home healthcare business in 2006. Mills also paid her employees wages from which no employment taxes were withheld. Mills failed to report similarly derived income to the IRS in each of 2005 ($12,900 in unreported income), 2006 ($22,300), 2008 ($176,000) and 2009 ($87,600). This case was the result of an investigation by Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jill Koster.
• Paul Deshaun Robinson, 23, of Gary, Indiana was sentenced to two years’ probation after pleading guilty to the felony offense of distribution of heroin. According to documents filed in this case, In May 2013, in Gary, Indiana, Robinson distributed heroin to a confidential informant. This case was the result of an investigation by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) GRIT Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean Lanter.