Federal Grand Jury Returns Indictments

MADISON, WI—A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin sitting in Madison returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Eau Claire Man Charged with Gun Crime

Roosevelt L. Spencer, 35, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges that on February 22, 2013, he possessed a loaded .22 caliber semi-automatic handgun.

If convicted, Spencer faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Eau Claire Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The prosecution of this case has been assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea.

Weston Man Charged with Illegally Possessing a Silencer

Jason Trempe, 30, Weston, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a firearm, specifically a silencer, which was not registered to him pursuant to federal law. The indictment alleges that he possessed the silencer on November 19, 2012.

If convicted, Trempe faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Weston Police Department; and Everest Metro Police Department. The prosecution of this case has been assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter M. Jarosz.

Fitchburg Man Faces Additional Charge

Christian Peterson, 44, Fitchburg, Wisconsin, is charged in a superseding indictment with four counts of bank fraud, four counts of making a false statement to a financial institution, four counts of money laundering, and one count of embezzlement from an employee 401(k) fund. Peterson was charged in an indictment returned by the grand jury on July 11, 2012, with bank fraud, false statements, and money laundering. The superseding indictment adds the embezzlement from an employee 401(k) fund.

During the times material to the counts of the indictment, Peterson operated businesses in Wisconsin and Nevada related to scrap foam and the manufacture of carpet cushion, built and operated a hotel in Wisconsin, and was involved in real estate development in Dane County. The superseding indictment alleges that Peterson misrepresented to banks that loans and a business line of credit were intended for a legitimate business purpose when, in fact, he used all or a portion of each loan and line of credit to gamble at casinos or for personal expenses. The superseding indictment also alleges that Peterson claimed that certain accounts receivable were loans when in fact they were the result of gambling debts.

In the new count, the superseding indictment alleges that he took $29,373.13 of funds from an employee pension benefit plan and then used the money, among other things, to make a $10,000 loan payment for another business venture and to pay his former wife $7,500 in court-ordered alimony.

If convicted, Peterson faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison on each bank fraud and false statement charge, a maximum penalty of 10 years on each money laundering charge, and a maximum penalty of five years on the embezzlement charge. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by IRS-Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and U.S. Department of Labor-Employee Benefits Security Administration. The prosecution of this case has been assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul W. Connell.

Mexican Citizen Charged with Re-Entering U.S.

Omar Alberto Garcia-Olascuaga, 24, a citizen of Mexico found in Dane County, Wisconsin, is charged with illegally re-entering the United States after previously being deported. The indictment alleges that he was found in the United States on January 24, 2013.

If convicted, Garcia-Olascuaga faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The prosecution of this case has been assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea.