Week in Review—South Bend

SOUTH BEND, IN—The United States Attorney’s Office announced that:

Plea:

• Robert Brandon, 22, of Elkhart, Indiana, pled guilty before District Judge Robert Miller, Jr. to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Sentencing has been set for January 3, 2013. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Elkhart County Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Maciejczyk.

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:

• Timothy Johnson, of Mishawaka, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Jon DeGuilio to 70 months’ imprisonment, restitution of $16,852, and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of the bank robbery of First Source Bank in South Bend. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
• Thomas Kouttoulas, 53, of Laporte, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Jon DeGuilio to 41 months’ imprisonment, restitution of $172,371.15,  and two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of wire fraud. According to the plea agreement filed in this case, Kouttoulas has been and is the owner of a company named Thomas Gregory Publications Inc. (TGP). TGP was in the business of producing county plat books and maps. From at least 2007 through 2011, Kouttoulas through TGP and its agents knowingly sold plat books, plat maps, and advertising to a large volume of clients while knowing that they would not provide the products paid for by customers. Kouttoulas and TGP agreed that the loss amount to their customers was between $400,000 and $700,000. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.