Week in Review—South Bend

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

Pleas:

Decarlo Knighten, 36, of LaPorte, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher A. Nuechterlein to the felony offense of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Magistrate Nuechterlein is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea. Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency. Sentencing has been set for October 17, 2013, before Judge Jon E. DeGuilio. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.

Ian T Kideys, 49, of La Jolla, California, pled guilty before District Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. to the felony offense of wire fraud. Sentencing has been set for October 21, 2013, at 9:00 a.m. before Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by Department of Housing and Urban Development. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.

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:

Brian Purvines, 41, of Granger, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to 57 months’ imprisonment and 20 years’ supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of child pornography. According to documents filed with this case, Purvines was detected based on his having files available for distribution via file sharing software known as Frostwire. Purvines possessed approximately 291 images of child pornography and 33 videos. The images and videos contained prepubescent children engaged in sexual activity with adults. This case resulted from an investigation by members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Maciejczyk.

Clifton Vortice, 33, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. to 24 months’ imprisonment and two years’ supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. According to documents filed in this case, Vortice has a 2006 marijuana possession conviction. In September 2011, he purchased and possessed a Desert Eagle 9mm pistol. 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 Donald Schmid.

Kevin Howell, 46, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. to 60 months’ imprisonment and four years’ supervised release, after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possessing with the intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base (“crack.”) According to documents filed in this case, in January 2013, Howell possessed 28 grams of a white rock like substance at his residence in LaPorte County, Indiana. This substance was later tested by the Indiana State Police Lab and found to be cocaine base. This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.

Cedric Hill, 33, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Robert L. Miller to 70 months’ imprisonment and two years’ supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possessing a firearm in and affecting interstate or foreign commerce. Hill has a prior felony firearms conviction. According to documents filed in this case, in November 2012, South Bend Police officers stopped Hill after he left the Water Works Car Wash in South Bend, Indiana. Hill had been involved in an altercation at the Car Wash. Officers found a handgun outside the Car Wash. Hill admitted to having dropped this handgun outside the Car Wash and that he had possession of the weapon. 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 Frank Schaffer.

Randell Hargrove, 27, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to total of 63 months’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release on each count (concurrent) for a total of three years’ supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of distributing marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to documents filed with this case, Hargrove distributed both hydroponic and non-hydroponic marijuana. Hydroponic marijuana is the growing of plants in an inert, sterile growing medium rather than soil. At the time of law enforcement’s search of a relevant location, firearms belonging to Hargrove were retrieved. 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 Donald Schmid.