Week in Review—South Bend

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

Pleas:

• Brison K. Williams, 20, of South Bend, Indiana, a defendant in the case U.S. v Shaw et al., pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher Nuechterlein to the felony offense of racketeering. 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. Sentencing has been set for July 15, 2013. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the South Bend Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.
• Cedric Hill, 33, of South Bend, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher Nuechterlein to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 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. Sentencing has been set for July 18, 2013. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
• Sandra Alfaro, 35, of Indianapolis, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher Nuechterlein to the felony offenses of conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens and conspiracy to commit mail fraud. 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. Sentencing has been set for July 18, 2013. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kenneth Hays.

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:

• Lorenzo Jackson, 33, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Jon DeGuilio to 117 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offenses of possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. According to documents filed by the government in this case, Jackson admitted that he sold and distributed marijuana to other persons in 2012 and possessed a shotgun during this period in order to protect himself from robbery while distributing the marijuana. Jackson has prior felony convictions including dealing in cocaine and possession of marijuana. 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.
• Efrain Castenada, 31, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced by District Judge Jon DeGuilio to 151 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offenses of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien and unlawful hostage taking/detention. According to documents filed by the government in this case, Castenada used a firearm to threaten to kill his wife and taking her and two children hostage. 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.
• Jose Nevarez, 37, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Jon DeGuilio to two years of supervised release and a $2,000 fine after pleading guilty to the felony offense of structuring transactions to evade reporting requirements. According to documents filed by the government in this case, Nevarez structured several deposits into his bank account under $10,000 in June and July 2010 to avoid the reporting requirements banks have to make to the federal government when cash deposits are made that exceed $10,000. This case was the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations Division. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William Grimmer.